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· Culture · · T. Joana Rebelo · P. Rights Reserved

War Paintings, Bodies in Mourning

Yola Balanga puts together an exhibition that portrays the battle of the Angolan women 

PMmedia Adv.
The deep scars that reveal the difficult struggles of women are the subject to which Yola Balanga has surrendered herself, body and spirit, resulting in the exhibition «War Paintings, Bodies in Mourning», on show at the Ela-Espaço Luanda Arte, in Angola. The artist, whose real name is Margarida Balanga, challenges the limits imposed on women, the constant wars that limit and constrain them, using the female body as an instrument of revolt and a weapon to combat these cultural issues. This is an exhibition of strong emotions, divided into nine paintings, six photographs, a performance piece and an installation, forming a space filled with 17 striking works. 

An exhibition of strong emotions
Inspired by the philosophy of Judith Butler, the young woman makes her first appearance on the national market with a hard reflection on the daily life of Angolan women. The theme of gender equality is dealt with in a surprisingly unusual way, bringing to the fore issues vulgarised and romanticised by the agents of power. Thus, Yola lifts the veil on the political ideas of a society that manipulates notions as a way of subjugating and limiting the female figure.  Ever revolving around the universe of women, the art expressions mirror a culture that suffers from gender inequality, a subject that is among the most explored by the artist, although she also addresses spirituality, transcendence and political and religious issues. Margarida Balanga has a degree in Visual and Plastic Arts and her vehicle for transmitting art varies between photography, video, installation and painting. Characterising herself as a transdisciplinary artist, Yola is represented by the «Ela» gallery in Angola, a space engaged in contemporary art that can already look back over more than seven years of history. 

The art expressions mirror a culture that suffers from gender inequality
Only one question remains for the artist: after all, which are the bodies that deserve public mourning and which ones can be deemed precarious? Only the exhibition will tell, open until September, between Tuesday and Sunday, from 12pm to 8pm. 
T. Joana Rebelo
P. Rights Reserved