Carne Vale by Vasco Araújo

Carne Vale is a sculptural performance conceived for the Malta Biennale, presented at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta. The work offers a critical reinterpretation of Maltese Carnival, evoking the Italian expression meaning “meat is permitted” and the brief period of moral suspension preceding Lent. It takes the form of an eighteenth-century carnival procession maquette, entirely modelled in plasticine, a material that subverts traditional sculptural canons.

Among the figures are Knights of the Order of Saint John, Il Parate dancers, euphoric civilians, and a carnival float inhabited by pig-headed figures and butchers, merging the sacred and the profane. During the performance, the artist models the final figures before the audience, exposing the creative act as a metaphor for the construction — and manipulation — of power, gender, and identity.

Attendance to this event requires a valid Heritage Malta ticket of admission. Heritage Malta Members as well as Student and Senior Passport holders enter for free.

Bio

Vasco Araújo was born in 1975 in Lisbon. He completed a degree in Sculpture at FBAUL in 1999 and attended the Advanced Course in Visual Arts at Maumaus. In 2003 he received the EDP Prize for New Artists, Portugal. He has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally.

Carne Vale Minn Vasco Araújo

Carne Vale hija prestazzjoni skulturali maħsuba għall-Malta Biennale, ippreżentata fil-Palazz tal-Gran Mastru fil-Belt Valletta. Ix-xogħol joffri reinterpretazzjoni kritika tal-Karnival Malti, u jfakkar fl-espressjoni Taljana li tfisser “il-laħam huwa permess” u l-perjodu qasir ta’ sospensjoni morali ta’ qabel ir-Randan. Jieħu l-forma ta’ mudell ta’ purċissjoni tal-karnival tas-seklu tmintax, maħdum kompletament bil-plasticine, materjal li jisfida r-regoli tradizzjonali tal-iskultura.

Fost il-figuri hemm Kavallieri tal-Ordni ta’ San Ġwann, żeffiena tal-Parati, ċivili ewforiċi, u karru tal-karnival abitat minn figuri b’ras ta’ majjal u biċċiera, li jħallat is-sagru mal-profan. Matul il-prestazzjoni, l-artist jimmudella l-figuri finali quddiem l-udjenza, u jesponi l-att kreattiv bħala metafora għall-kostruzzjoni — u l-manipulazzjoni — tal-poter, tal-ġeneru, u tal-identità.

L-attendenza għal dan l-avveniment teħtieġ biljett validu ta’ dħul ta’ Heritage Malta. Membri ta’ Heritage Malta, u dawk li għandhom il-Passaport tal-Istudenti jew il-Passaport tal-Kbar ta’ Heritage Malta, jidħlu bla ħlas.

Bijografija

Vasco Araújo twieled fl-1975 f’Lisbona. Fl-1999 temm lawrja fl-Iskultura fl-FBAUL u attenda l-Kors Avvanzat fl-Arti Viżiva fil-Maumaus. Fl-2003 ngħata l-Premju EDP għall-Artisti Ġodda fil-Portugall. Huwa pparteċipa f’bosta wirjiet individwali u kollettivi fuq livell internazzjonali.