makeshift dwellings made uninhabitable by carlos no

makeshift dwellings made uninhabitable by carlos no
‘weekend’, 2012
moto tricycle, wood, PVC plate, glass, nylon rope and springs clothing
295 x 225 x 125 cm
photo © susana dinis

portuguese artist carlos no‘s series of sculptural works ‘villa bidão’ (braggart city) draw attention to societal issues such as poverty and deprivation, particularly the lives of billions of people without access to housing or drinking water. the improvised dwellings made from makeshift and recycled materials lack a stable framework and basic sanitation, recall the idea of a shanty town as a place unsuitable for habitation. through their metaphorical undertones — huge barrels evocative of a heavy burden and worn materials personifying neglect, the objects present subjects of scarcity and exclusion through visual artworks. one exhibited sculpture titled ‘weekend’ is a rusty motor tricycle with a wooden house on top, reminiscent of a caravan. the piece is intended as an ironic message, as its name ‘weekend’ references a society which has access to rest and leisure, while the conditions of the construction are run-down, summoning the impression of poor living conditions.

‘bidonville’, 2011

wheelbarrow and plastic cans

103 x 300 x 67 cm
photo © josef kaempf

‘pillar’, 2011
bicycle, bricks and wooden box

228 x 50 x 102 cm
photo © josef kaempf