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Arts & Communication

ARTICLE
Plus Ultra: Female body in public sphere at 8
th
Biennial Sea Salon

Júlia Mello* and José Cirillo
Department of Arts, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Abstract

Oriana Duarte’s compelling piece, “Plus Ultra,” unveiled at the 8 Biennial Sea Salon
th
(Vitória-Espírito Santo, Brazil), intricately weaves personal narratives that accentuate
the interplay between movement, landscape, and the human form. This artwork
serves as a profound exploration of subjectivity, inviting the audience to immerse
themselves in a realm that is both geographical and virtual. Duarte’s creation
prompts a series of pivotal inquiries, unraveling the layers of experience within the
urban landscape of Espírito Santo. The first query delves into the intricate dynamics
of encountering the artwork and its inherent esthetic and political ties within this
specific locale. The second interrogates the role of the female body in “Plus Ultra,”
shedding light on how it becomes a central element in the narrative. Ultimately,
the third question scrutinizes the evaluation of female artists’ participation within
the broader context of the 8 Biennial Sea Salon. The findings from this exploration
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resonate profoundly, emphasizing the critical relevance of interconnected themes
such as art, body, subjectivity, gender, and space in contemporary artistic discourse.
Duarte’s work not only underscores the symbiosis between these elements but also
unveils the transformative potential of corporeality in reshaping the urban landscape.
*Corresponding author: By decoding the intricate relationships within “Plus Ultra,” this study contributes to a
Júlia Mello
(julia.mello@ufes.br) deeper understanding of how contemporary art serves as a catalyst for redefining
not only physical spaces but also societal perceptions, especially when viewed
Citation: Mello J, Cirillo J. Plus
Ultra: Female body in public sphere through the lens of female artistic expression.
at 8 Biennial Sea Salon. Arts &
th
Communication. 2024;2(4):3023.
doi: 10.36922/ac.3023 Keywords: Contemporary art; Oriana Duarte; Body; Gender; Public art; Subjectivity
Received: February 26, 2024
Accepted: April 19, 2024
Published Online: August 19, 2024 1. Introduction
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). This paper presents an excerpt regarding research conducted at the Postgraduate
This is an Open-Access article Program in Arts at the Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil (PPGA-UFES), and
distributed under the terms the Laboratory of Extension and Research in Arts (LEENA-UFES), focusing on the
of the Creative Commons
AttributionNoncommercial License, representation of women in public art in the state of Espírito Santo. The overall objective
permitting all non-commercial use, is to deepen the studies on artistic expressions in the context of Espírito Santo, a terrain
distribution, and reproduction in any that is still relatively invisible when compared to other states in the southeastern region.
medium, provided the original work
is properly cited. To delve into the art scene of Espírito Santo, it is imperative to examine key facets of
Publisher’s Note: AccScience the state’s historical, political, and social formation. This exploration aims to scrutinize
Publishing remains neutral with the entrenched hegemony of major cultural centers, contrasting them with regions often
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional deemed “peripheral.” It involves questioning the persistence of a colonial narrative that,
affiliations. rather than acknowledging and nurturing diverse artistic landscapes, tends to neglect and

Volume 2 Issue 4 (2024) 1 doi: 10.36922/ac.3023