BRAFA 2018 guest of honour, Bulgarian-born American artist Christo wraps buildings and arches of triumph. Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, guest of honour at the 2025 art fair – crocheting objects, statues, snails. She flew to Brussels with ‘Valkyries’, a project that the southernly flamboyant woman has been doing for many years, but each time she creates them to match the genius of the place. In São Paulo for a hospital chapel, in Versailles for a French royal palace, in Macau in the shape of an octopus inspired by Portuguese maritime history. A feminist, she often dedicates her giant works to prominent women-like Elizabeth Freeman, a pioneer in the struggle for freedom and equality – for Massachusetts College in Boston.
Her Valkyries are a combination of mythology, craftsmanship and contemporary art, with narratives that transcend time and space. They are monumental textile sculptures inspired by figures from Scandinavian mythology who brought fallen warriors to life to join the deities in Valhalla. The finest handwork – crochet, embroidery and textiles from the women’s arts and crafts armoury in gigantic size epitomise female power, strength and energy. At first glance quite aggressive, conquering, stand aside, men – women are coming! They are not coming, but flying with modern propellers.
Joana Vasconcelos was matched at BRAFA by Valérie Bach, a gallerist with great taste, founder of the leading Brussels gallery ‘La Patinoire Royale’ (stand 47 presents wonderful works by the artist on a smaller scale – which is interesting for understanding her work).
Vasconcelos’ installations, tailored to each specific space, transform it. Through visual perception you physically feel their power and boldness. Cutting-edge technology – integrated light emitting diodes mimic the breathing and movement of the warrior maidens.
BRAFA 2025, with its delicate carpet of natural colours, is filled with the bright colours of the South of Europe, the colours of the artist’s native Portugal (she was born in Paris, but her self-identity is distinctly Portuguese). Giant ‘Valkyries’ are the fruit of Joana’s large team – more than 60 people knit, weave, humanise the formidable tops of fate. The author believes that we should not overestimate art – we should enjoy it!