22 March 2017 marked the opening of Utopia/Dystopia at Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) in Lisbon, Portugal. One of the artists participating in the first group “manifesto exhibition”, held in the newly opened Oval Museum, is Michael MacGarry. Works from his 100 Suns series, depicting his presumptions for what African cities might look like in the future, makes up some of more than 60 artworks and projects on show. MacGarry is currently represented by Everard Read Johannesburg, Cape Town and London. 

The exhibition sees to provide a platform whereby international artists and architects are able to establish a dialogue between their specific creative niche and personal awareness, or critical engagement, with pertinent discourses of the present day.

Working in conjunction with the 500^th anniversary of Thomas More’s Utopia, this exhibition aims to highlight the chasm between the perfect state of being and that of a dystopia. By celebrating all that technology has enabled society to do, the show also bears witness to the problematic effects which it has had on politics, society and ecology. Due to this collision, where Good seemingly crashes into Bad, the show attempts to emphasise the significant role that emerging creatives have; to offer new possibilities to equip society in our moving forward.   

The collaborative show has been curated by Pedro Gadanho, Joao Laia and Susana Ventura. It runs until 21 August, 2017.

More details about the show and MacGarry’s work can be found here www.maat.pt

Image curtesy of MAAT.