Soft water hard stone

From 28 October to 23 January, the Triennal 2021 presents the group exhibition “Soft Water, Hard Stone”.

The title refers to the Brazilian proverb “Água mole em pedra dura, tanto bate até que fura” (Soft water on hard stone hits until it bores a hole) and speaks to the ideas of resilience, resistance and perseverance, and the impact that an insistent but discreet gesture can have over time.

At this time of profound change, when structures once thought to be stable are disintegrating or on the verge of collapse, Triennal 2021 invites 40 artists to rework traditional patterns, materials, and techniques and go beyond the known rules.

Their works highlight states of transformation, pulling attention to the malleability of structures, pory and unstable surfaces, and the fluid and adaptable potential of technological and organic media. Throughout the exhibition, the artists address the regenerative potential of the natural world and our inseparable relationship to it and confront the deep-seated legacies of colonialism, displacement, and violence. Their works look back at neglected histories and artistic traditions, while at the same time looking forward to the creative potential that could give new life to dysfunctional or discarded remnants.