Nuria Guëll, “Radical empathy in the times of over identifications”

My art practice very often takes place in relation to others. And given that my practice is public, this implies displaying or exposing these other subjects—and my relationship to them—to public scrutiny. This forces me to adopt a position for which I can be publicly accountable, and for that reason—among others—I always try to ensure that the relationship is between equals. And what does that mean? Do I put myself in the identity of the other? Do I identify with the other? No, if I
did, I would be an impostor. The only way to achieve a certain equality is through disidentification, by divesting myself of the identities that signify me and divesting the other of theirs. So, for me, if there is radical empathy, it can only emerge in its absence. In this presentation I will share part of the research I’m doing in the frame of Bodies Un-protected, I’ll expanding on these ideas using some examples from my practice, in which empathy—if it emerges—does so through divestment. My projects always originate from some social or political conflict that I feel called upon to deal with, and their aim is to try and bring out something that cannot be seen; in other words, and in simpler terms, to allow us to perceive something of what is real. And for this to be possible, my practice and my convictions must also be questioned. My position in relation to artistic practice and my convictions come into play in each project, because they are also elements that end up being involved in the confrontation, at the same level as the institutions. In other words, at the end of a project I almost never come out unscathed. On the other hand, I cannot deny that there is a strong subversive inclination in my work. It is rooted in the fact that I do not understand artistic practice as a cultural practice, but quite the opposite: I understand it as a socially and politically necessary practice in which the cultural and the established are brought into play. I was born in Vidreres, a village near the city of Girona, in 1981. And here I am still, as this is my base camp. Not living in a big city is a decision, a political decision, like all the others. I graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona and continued my studies at the Cátedra de Arte de Conducta (Behavior Art School) in Havana, Cuba. From that moment on I have held exhibitions in art centres around the world and participated in many Biennials. In addition, I have been awarded several prizes and I work regularly with social centres and schools.

CONFÉRENCES 2021-2022