Panama: Jhafis Quintero

Latin American Pavilion at the 55th Venice Biennale
May 24, 2013 9:26PM

Jhafis Quintero (Panama) struggles in turn against his shadow, his inner enemy and his ghost. In the manner of a boxing match, Quintero attempts to reach a projection of himself by means of the strength of his fists, facing an unreachable and ethereal opponent. While the artist’s breathing attests to his vitality throughout the round, the title of the video film – Knock Out – describes a boxer who has been overcome, thus suggesting the difficulty of the action depicted and – ultimately – the impossibility of reaching one’s own self. 

Still from the video Knock Out, 2012, Video DVD, courtesy of Analix Forever, Ginevra e Parigi.

Latin American Pavilion at the 55th Venice Biennale