Vienna – Artist Ernesto Neto’s latest installation is a spiritual sanctuary, designed in collaboration with Amazonian Indians.
Collaborating with the Huni Kuin tribe from the Amazonian basin, Neto makes a bold connection between esoteric tribal lore and contemporary art. The project space at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary (TBA21) is a ‘site of healing’ that taps into a broader cultural movement where art and design converge with the spiritual and psychological, seen in Pipilotti Rist’s use of autogenic training in her relaxing Worry Will Vanish installation.
The womb-like space is surrounded by swathes of traditional Huni Kuin crocheted fabric and displays objects from the tribe’s material culture alongside Neto’s globular contemporary sculptures and a Book of Healing – a comprehensive account of the Huni Kuin’s herbal treatments spanning 109 plant species.
The Big Picture: We have seen brands, from Marni to Loewe, look to Native Narratives for inspiration, finding new connections between seemingly disparate outlooks and aesthetics.