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I WASH U

Internal / Memories from Media




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Confinement of memories and emotions

"Charlotte once ran away from me, outside the studio, and I grabbed her dress to stop her, to keep her near me. A yellow cotton dress I loved because it was too long for her. I still have a lemon-yellow mark on the palm of my right hand." (Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters / J.D.Salinger)

The memories stored in the body like sleeping with emotions, it is not easy to forget, sometimes sense involuntarily makes wake up them .

However, today, our physical body are dominated by various media, we both store "memories from reality" and "memories from media technology".

In this installation to wash hands causes images of ripple to be projected on water in glass bawl.

Ripple describe circles by 3 colors, the RGB color model:red, green, and blue, these are light's three primary colors in digital media.

By Washing hands, to release the confinement of memories and emotions into the water.

"I WASH U" could be like a ritual ablution of memories from media technology.


  • I wash U
    Drawing for the intallation I WASH U (2005)



I WASH U (MOLEDO, 2019)

"By Washing hands,
to release the confinement of memories
and emotions into the water."
Video and Sound Installation for Art Festival "Calhau #1 Moledo", Lourinhã, Portugal, 2019

Collaboration with Manuel d'Olivares, artist and organiser of art festival Calhau #1 | Moledo
Thanks to all staff, participating artists, people of the village and visiters.
I extend my warm thanks especially to Giovanni de Biasio, Monique Menelot, Claire-Françoise Fressynet and Manuel d'Olivares for their help and support.

Text by Manuel d'Olivares(in Portugal)

"Esta instalação situada no espaço dos lavadores, ainda hoje, utilizado pela população de Moledo para lavarem as suas roupas. Adoka fez dialogar a sua obra com este espaço relacionando a “limpeza” das memórias que nos fazem sentir incomodados ou mesmo infelizes.

A artista considera que essas memórias são o resultado dos acontecimentos trágicos com que diariamente somos obrigados a conviver, como guerras, acidentes, situações de sofrimento humano ou por exemplo, no caso da artista que reside em Paris, o recente incendio de Notre-Dame. Na taça de vidro que a artista trouxe expressamente do Japão, foi colocada água de Moledo e pequenos cristais de vidro que através de uma projeção refletem três cores, encarnado, verde e azul, as cores principais da luz e da digital media.

Para esquecer estas memórias, que a artista classifica de “memórias más”, o visitante é convidado a pousar a mão na água, de uma forma meditativa fazendo com que essas memórias se dissipem no ar, como que ”lavando-as” da sua mente, através das imagens e som que interactivament e se geram, e que são projetadas no teto do espaço.

No espaço do depósito Adoka criou um espaço de repouso e meditação onde se poderá ouvir a peça musical, composta pela artista."


Calhau #1 | Moledo

30, 31 August and 1st september
and 6, 7, 8 september
Lourinhã, Portugal

Participated Artsists: Adoka Niitsu, Antonio Da Cunha, Clear ribeiro, Cristina Henriques, Cristina Henriques, Francis Duarte Rabbit, Helena Aikin, Henry Saints, John Galrão, Manuel D'Olivares, Marcus Mosque, Marta Ramos, Martin Costa, Mary Pear, Nicolas Lemonnier, Pablo Lazara, Peter Santos, Rui Matos, Rui Mourão, Silvia Klainscek, Stefano Melonimelis, Stefano Melonimelis, collective of the needles

Music and dance: João Paulo Pieces, Andre Alves, Mariana Badan, Mauro Pires, group "Your Monteiro and the carapanãs".

Workshops : Filipa Light, gonçalo babo, Manuel D'Olivares, Marco Mosque, Sarah Lemonnier

This event was awarded by the ADL - Association for the Development of Lourinhã with the 2019 Distinction in the category of Art, Music and Culture.

More information : CALHAU #1 EM MOLEDO