Outras Alternativas

One of the most appealing things about Francisco Queirós (Lisbon, 1972) works is that they are viewed in two separate stages. To explore his works entails entering a tentative conflict, a sort of disturbing ambivalence which conjures up confronting feelings: from a first seductive contact to the greatest caution and despair. His characters toy with the activation of a mechanism of attraction-repulsion -obviating the conceptual and formal differences we could draw parallels with the opposing emotions caused in the viewer by Mona Hautum's objects, when she creates expectations which are then never fulfilled-(*) and generate diverse moods in those who observe them. Thus, an initial identification with the sweetness of characters can turn into utter rejection.

To sum up, he deals with psychological matters and emotions, always by means of an affective, nostalgic narration that reminds us of a childish imaginary capable of moving us until turning us into sympathizers and later into accomplices disillusioned with our initial bonds with the characters presented by the artist. If we consider the context where the story or action -always brief, summarized Francisco Queirós tells us takes place, the reference to or similitude with the world of video games becomes apparent. Sound and image submerge us into the aesthetic of "the creation of worlds" which, in spite of being the products of animation, ultimately speaking, they are credible and eventually get us involved into every single action.

Definitively, we must abandon the association that when we are speaking about video games, we refer to something designed for children and void of value or cultural content, and it is necessary to understand their purpose. When I refer to the aesthetic similitude between Francisco Queirós animations and video-games, I'm thinking of the development of a story, of an elaborated plot, of a wealth of characters and referential and metaphoricaI elements which generate in the player indications of conduct, in this case, a spectator who is active in feelings.
I understand, therefore, that we are not talking about an action game, but of a graphic adventure which allows one to process or digest what has happened; they seek to provoke reflection, experience and sensation.Francisco Queirós works are composed of high dose of irony, and also of perversity. Based on a variety of metaphors-realities, they pervert meanings and question certain ethical postulates, moving between drama and absurdity. His proposal finds its place among a series of artists concerned with the passage from the naive dreams of a childhood that makes us feel protected or sheltered, to the disillusionment of the world of adults.

Let us think of now Yoshitomo Nara portrays the naiveté of children and dogs to then reveal in them signs of extreme violence, or of the apparently pleasant journey of Vicente Blanco's characters, which announces a more tragic ending -although in his videos, the setting is as important as the characters-, or of the tragic caricature of Maurizio Cattelan's characters -a squirrel shoots itself in the head.

The passage of time means becoming aware, and the signs and characters taken by Francisco Queirós from children's imaginary act as carriers of a kind of symbolic, nearly subconscious violence. In these works, everything points to the apparent happiness of childhood -teddy bears, colourful birds, schematic drawings and fairy tale landscapes-, a certain playful character that eventually unrolls into a world of violence -Examples of that are all his versions of “Friezenwall”, “How could I miss you” , “The world without you” or “Exceptionally Soothing cream for Upset Skin”- or with a certain sexual undertone “Slush Puppies” or “An Over Flowing of Desire”; even some aspects in “The Dilemma”.
It is as if Francisco Queirós works operated on the basis of a logic of layers, which once peeled off, discover new sensitive landscapes . If we look at “Friezenwall - Tiny Little Movie”, we discover a lean, schematic figure composed of the simplest of traces, who is singing a traditional Portuguese children's song. The cruelty of the lyrics takes on a dramatic meaning when it is accompanied by an image that corresponds to the actions expressed by the song in a literal sense. Then, we start to wonder: Do we really stop to think about what we say, listen to or sing?

We all remember from our childhood songs and tales told with warmth, but if we deconstruct their literal meaning we can see that, in many cases, they hide an extreme violence. Little Red Riding hood's grandmother is swallowed by a wolf who then puts on her clothes; before that, she is left alone in the dangerous forest, Snow White is cajoled into eating a poisoned apple; The witch fattens Hansel & Grettel to eat them, and they end up by pushing her into the oven; Cinderella sees herself deprived of freedom... In songs, mishaps are sung with joy. A similar strategy is used in “Friezenwall - The Forest”, where we are first taken to a Disney-like scene, with some sweet cherubs as main characters, to then watch how they beat and push each other with, a nearly mechanical persistence. In his latest videos, this absence of questioning of certain things that we accept with the resignation of someone who considers them normal, that powerless, translates itself into the impossibility of a female angel to take flight, a black mermaid who contradicts the mythic blond beauty which usually represents them and a female centaur hiding her breasts. Queirós questions our history based on the absurdity of mythology, placing a female centaur or a black, transsexual mermaid in order to frustrate our expectations.

The three pieces work by way of tripthyc with a common denominator. Their characters -angel, mermaid and centaur- are mythological or fantastic beings that show their sexual ambiguity, their indefinite nature. Mythological tradition is mixed with signs of contemporary urban culture such as piercing, tattoos or transsexuality; and that gives rise to the second level of reading resulting from decontextualization, that crack or fissure characteristic of Francisco Queirós works.

Notes:(*) Barro, D.: "La.ambivalencia perturbadora de Mona Hatoum" (Interview), Lapiz, nº 186, 2002.