Carlos Motta (b. 1978)

Carlos Motta is known for using multiple mediums, often several in combination, to investigate social and cultural injustices—particularly surrounding marginalized communities. Motta, who considers his installations “social sculptures”, aims to look beyond individual identity issues to explore group or communal politics. His recent project We Who Feel Differently (2011)—a documentary database of issues in queer culture around the world—was presented as an online platform, a book, an installation, and a series of performances. This was the last part of a five-year project he called “The Democracy Cycle,” for which he gathered different meanings of the term “democracy.” Motta wants his works to have a common message: “I can see the world in a way that you can’t, and the way that I see it is actually really great so you should come on the ride with me.”