The thirteen chapters of ‘The Art of War’ describe how, with tied hands, a general succeeds in war: with the sheath of the sword, the study of the physiognomy of his opponent, the appropriation of the topography and attack by fire. Thirteen chapters that founded Chinese military thought are here transformed into thirteen performative movements, telling the transformation of a body that has become militant. Filmed within the Chapelle des Petits-Augustins des Beaux-Arts, Paris, in search of patterns of transformation and affirmation of minority bodies entering places of elitist culture.

What are the paths that a black body must follow in order to be able to change and find its place in an environment in which it does not feel represented? What are the stakes of such an exposure of trauma, flaws and fatigue? Techniques such as Yoga, Tai Chi, bodybuilding and martial arts merge body and mind into breathtaking exhausting dance, culminating in total transformation and a kinaesthetic trance.

Daniel Nicolaevsky Maria

b.1991 Rio, lives/works in Paris

 

Daniel situates his work between conceptual art and performance. He sets up plural devices aimed at questioning a complex history in which representations of the black, queer and marginal body are often limiting. His emancipatory, radical and poetic

works allow him “to anchor his practice of resilience in an exponential transmutation of the human”.

 

He has exhibited/performed at Center for Cultural Diversity (São Paulo), Center Pompidou (Paris), Palais de Tokyo (Paris), Center National de la Danse (Pantin), Sogetsu Art Center (Tokyo ) and Rio Art Museum (Rio).

 

His awards include Friends of Fine Arts Prize, GIDE Prize, and Altarea Prize. He was the youngest resident of WMC at Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Marseille 2020; won the Crédit Agricole x Clique TV Révèle ton Talent street art category 2021; Dream Big

Grow Fast Foundation’s award; one-year studio award at Fondation Fiminco (2022).

His work was recently acquired by Société Générale.

Cable Depot is a hybrid comprising a physical project space, which funds four 12 week projects every year, and an online platform, broadcasting globally via 24/7 CCTV live streaming. There is an emphasis on research through projects, which begin

in the physical space, then continue indefinitely as a growing online archive. Cable Depot is increasingly global, working with artists from Mexico, France, Greece, Egypt and Switzerland. Invited artists have a strong background in project-based

critical work, combined with an interest in alternative, contemporary modes of publishing, and who embrace the technology behind the space, such as use of cameras, microphones, sound, projection, social media and digital archiving.

 

“Cable Depot is the most interesting platform in London at the moment.”- Dr. Steven Scott PhD (RCA), City Lit

 

“For something rather different, go to Cable Depot.” – Paul Carey-Kent, UK art critic