TITLE: “Breastfeeding” Video performance 1 min 2022

The video unfolds in two scenes, both centered around the act of breastfeeding. However, instead of a child, the woman cradles two books: Contemporary Art: A Concise History by Michael Archer, and The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich. Notably, the latter includes only a single mention of a woman artist. Through this gesture, the work challenges the patriarchal foundations of art history, questioning who is nurtured by these narratives—and who is left out.

TITLE: “Subalternized Work Trilogy I, II, III: Receptionist / Houdsekeeper / Elevator Attendant” 

Video performances - 2024  

Together, the three videos expand on the themes of the Manifesto Against Work, referencing the practice of American artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles. They highlight the invisibility and devaluation of those in subordinate roles—specifically, a receptionist, a housekeeper, and an elevator attendant. The works underscore that an art exhibition, for instance, cannot exist without the ongoing labor of cleaning, security, and front-of-house staff. This essential maintenance and care work is often shaped by a rigid division of labor along gender and class lines. Its financial and existential undervaluation reinforces an oppressive system. As feminist scholar Françoise Vergès argues, care and cleaning labor are not only indispensable—they are fundamental to sustaining patriarchy, racial hierarchies, and neoliberal capitalism.

TITLE: “That Feeling” Forged steel, rivets

Dimensions: 18 X 15 X 10 inches - 2023 

The sculpture is a wearable shield—a kind of cage one can step into. The wearer is enclosed within a structure, insulated from the outside world, yet physically constrained. This limitation hinders movement and interaction with the surrounding environment. The work can be experienced as both protective and restrictive. It becomes a tangible metaphor for daily life: the tension between feeling trapped by external forces and finding security within those very confines. Crafted from forged steel and assembled with rivets, the sculpture’s materiality conveys both strength and weight. Its visual and physical heaviness evokes power, but also a sense of oppression—a reminder that what is offered as protection often doubles as a form of restriction.

TITLE: “Corrida Pelo Ponto”

Fabric, thread, speaker

Dimensions: 40x400cm - 2025

The hand-sewn fabric subtly shifts in color, evoking the trance-like state induced by repetitive labor. Sharp red lines pierce through, marking moments of violent awakening. The steady hum of a sewing machine is at times interrupted—falling silent or giving way to a voice that reveals the hidden toll of the work. The artist draws from her own family history to illuminate the quiet endurance of women in the Portuguese textile industry. Her mother, who began sewing as a child in her grandmother’s factory, was once known to stitch in her sleep—a haunting image of exhaustion, discipline, and silent resilience. By weaving personal memory into collective experience, Garcia pays tribute to the unspoken sacrifices of generations past, bringing visibility to lives shaped by labor and perseverance.

TITLE: “Rose Ion” 

LED neon flex

Variable dimensions - 2018

The installation that uses flexible neon LED light to create an immersive and dynamic visual experience. The filament, arranged in an organic, flowing form, explores the interplay between light and movement—simultaneously suggesting stillness and motion. The work reflects on the nature of human perception, inviting viewers to consider how light and movement shape our sensory and emotional responses. Through this subtle choreography of form and illumination, the worktransforms space into a living, visual experience.

TITLE: “Between People”

Glass etching, brushed aluminium and oil on canvas

Variable dimensions - 2025

The work explores the dynamics of human relationships—examining visibility and invisibility, connection and distance among individuals and groups within society. The work reflects on how we are positioned in relation to one another, both physically and metaphorically. Through the use of diverse materials and techniques—including etched glass, brushed aluminium, and oil on canvas—the installation investigates the layered nature of presence, perception, and social composition. Each medium offers a different lens on how we see, are seen, or remain unseen.

TITLE: “I will create a garden to live in because this world is getting very strange” 

Cotton and polyester threads, beads

Variable dimensions - 2017

The work reflects on the passage of time, the relationship between human beings and nature, and the search for moments of respite amid the chaos of the world. It invites viewers to consider art as a possible space for the emergence of genuine coexistence—where differences are not only accepted but valued. These moments serve as metaphors for the dissolution of boundaries and the possibility of deeper connection. Themes such as ageism, transformation, tolerance, harmony, and respect are central to Araújo’s creative process, shaping both her artistic language and her broader reflections on the human experience.

TITLE: “A Walk in the Park”  

Inkjet prints on fine art paper, framed

21x20,7cm - 2021

In early 2021, the phrase "Text me when you get home" spread across the world following the murder of Sarah Everard—a young woman from London who never made it home. Like many others, Van Sandick carries everyday objects that could double as weapons: keys clenched between fingers, a screwdriver under the car seat, deodorant repurposed as pepper spray. These items offer a sense of security—or perhaps only the illusion of it. More than tools, they are symbols of the constant vigilance women must maintain in public spaces. By isolating and portraying these objects, Van Sandick reveals the quiet, persistent tension that shapes everyday life. Are we safe—or not?

TITLE: “Motherknots, Daughterknots”  

Video (mp4, dvd)

7m12s - 2024

“Motherknots, Daughterknots” explores hair combing as a ritual of female lineage and memory. In a reversal of traditional roles, a daughter combs her mother’s hair, and the mother tends to an unseen, imagined figure. Subtitled with a personal narrative, the work reflects on hair combing not as an act of care, but as a painful ritual shaped by rigid beauty standards—where appearance takes precedence over nurturing or the preservation of cultural identity. This performative inversion opens space for reflection and imagination. Passed-down knowledge reverberates in the present, reshaping how we understand the gesture of combing hair—not just as routine, but as a symbol of power, resistance, and intergenerational complexity.

TITLE: Les Petits Rats  2024

Textile, plaster, acrilyc

Variable dimensions - 2024

In 19th-century Paris, the Opera was as much a site of art as it was of exploitation. To attract and appease wealthy patrons, the Foyer de la danse—a lavish backstage salon—was created, granting aristocratic abonnés privileged access to young ballerinas. These dancers, known as Les Petits Rats (“the little rats”), often came from impoverished backgrounds and were expected to offer not only performances but also sexual favors at private gatherings. Few achieved fame or financial stability; most remained vulnerable and underpaid. The most well-known among them was Marie Van Goethem, a Belgian-born dancer immortalized as the model for Degas’ iconic sculpture Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.

TITLE: “Een pink in de vrijheid (One Finger in Freedom), part II” 

Video HD

15m - 2024

Damen’s grandmother, a farmer’s daughter, recognized early on that the world extended far beyond the boundaries of her village. When her father arranged a marriage for her—expecting to receive a plow as part of the wedding deal—she boldly told him he might as well marry the farmer himself, and make sure to claim the plow. Determined to change the course of her life, she broke with tradition, paving the way for her daughters to have more choices. Damen’s mother became the family’s breadwinner, continuing that legacy of resilience. Damen acknowledges that her own path has been shaped by the strength, defiance, and dedication of the women who came before her.