Água mole, pedra dura is a multi-day, multimedia installation that interrogates the role of citizens in the democratic process, emphasizing the power of perseverance. Often, the most significant impediments to political change are ingrained in the system itself. Political figures, shaped from prefabricated molds, are presented to the public as empty vessels, ready to fill any available role, thereby squandering precious political space. However, this cycle of cronyism can be dismantled. Real change is possible incrementally, with every vote. Just as soft water, dripping day by day, wears the hardest rock away.

You are invited to participate in the process. Every vote counts. Cast yours.

The installation is comprised of 50 statues, all born from the same mold. They sit on a metal structure arranged in a 10x5 grid. The visages of Brazilian politicians are dynamically projected onto each statue. A voting system allows the audience to determine the installation's outcome: every hour, a timer runs out and the statue representing the politician with the fewest votes is dropped from the structure. The statue crashes onto the floor, breaking into countless pieces. The expressions of the politicians continually shift, mirroring their perceived mood based on the votes they receive (or don't receive). By the end of the exhibition, no statues remain on the structure. Instead, spectators are left to ponder over the aftermath: a haunting mound of shattered faces.

Appearences

• ArtEZ Finals – June 2022 – Installed and exhibited for five days