Ilhas Studio — Miriam Cahn – O que nos olha
On the occasion of Miriam Cahn – O que nos olha (Miriam Cahn – What Looks at Us), her first solo exhibition in Portugal, presented at MAAT, a catalogue was conceived as an extension of the exhibition itself.
Expanding far beyond the works on display, the publication brings together an extensive selection from across Cahn’s career, functioning as a quasi–catalogue raisonné. Arranged in a careful chronological sequence, the book allows the reader to follow the evolution of her practice over time. Across its 352 pages, Cahn’s visceral, graphic, and uncompromising images unfold in a dense visual flow, punctuated by the artist’s own texts, an interview with curators João Pinharanda and Sérgio Mah, and an essay by Patrizia Keller.
The graphic layout plays a decisive role in shaping this encounter. Echoing the way Cahn assembles and structures her exhibitions, images are pushed to the very edges of the page, refusing containment, while fold-outs interrupt the rhythm of reading, inviting repeated and layered encounters with the works. The result is a catalogue that demands physical and emotional engagement: brutal at times, resistant to easy digestion, and deeply aligned with the tension and urgency of Cahn’s practice.
About Miriam Cahn’s work:
Miriam Cahn is a central figure in the European contemporary art scene, known for a practice shaped by resistance to all forms of oppression and a sustained engagement with urgent social and political realities (gendered violence, forced migration, and armed conflict).
Images are pushed to the very edges of the page, refusing containment, while fold-outs interrupt the rhythm of reading, inviting repeated and layered encounters with the works.
Across its 352 pages, Cahn’s visceral, graphic, and uncompromising images unfold in a dense visual flow.
