Based on her vocation to move between different art forms, Nathalie Fari created the project Enteléquia (an Aristotelian term to designate the refinement of a creative process), an interdisciplinary dialogue which gathers visual artists, musicians and performers to develop a type of “obra viva” (EN: living work) which will occupy the ground floor and tunnels of the “Casa das Caldeiras” (former Indústrias Matarazzo). For over five months, Nathalie and a group of 15 artists have been exploring the space to create the work. Not coincidentally, the chosen topic is alchemy. “We are not searching for gold, but our inspiration comes from alchemy, from the idea of working with different elements to achieve another one in which all are integrated”. But she anticipates that despite the diversity of the artists, the result will be minimalistic. “Each element enters in a singular way, because the idea is to valorise the perspective of the space.

Beth Néspoli, O Estado de São Paulo, 23.08.2002

This project, which can be seen as a landmark of Nathalie S. Fari’s site-specific work and approach to performance laboratory practice, enabled her to co-create a five-day event or a type of “interactive exhibition” in which the artists explored the theme of Alchemy through the elements of raw material, sulphur, mercury and salt. By using a designed cartography formed by tunnels, chimneys, corridors and a central area as a basis for improvisation, the artists referred to a state of alchemy through which: “The fire must continue to burn to gain lead, gold or silver. Gold is the hardest to achieve because it demands a deep understanding of humanity, at the same time an intimate, healthy relationship with nature”. In addition to that, Enteléquia served as a basis to develop, specifically for the Casa das Caldeiras (which the artist knew already from her participation at the project Arte Cidade in 1997), a site-oriented artist-in-residency program called “Obras em Construção”, which exists until today and which integrates the international network of the Art Factories.

Event Dates: Development Phase: 23.02.2002 – 23.09.2002 / Event: 25.09.2002 – 29.09.2002, Art Factory Casa das Caldeiras, São Paulo, BR

Credits: Concept, Direction: Nathalie S. Fari / Performance: Anete Colacioppo, Ilana Gorban, Fábio Norat, Nathalie Fari, Petra Schwarz, Thomas Schneesche / Music: Célio Barros, Jorge Pena, Yuri Pinheiro / Costume: Cecília Echenique, Thais Mol / Lightdesign: Vanessa Poitena / Video: Gisela Motta e Leandro Lima, Macau, Ebbëto / Documentation: Luana Capobianco, Christian von Ameln / Supported by Casa das Caldeiras, Secretaria Cultural do Governo do Estado de São Paulo.