Camila Cañeque
{{Short description|Spanish performance and conceptual artist (1984–2024)}}
{{Infobox artist
| image = Camilacanequelights.jpg
| name = Camila Cañeque
| known_for = Performance art, writing
| birth_date = {{birth date|1984|6|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Barcelona, Spain
| death_date = {{dda|2024|2|14|1984|6|15|df=y}}
| awards = Zenda Ópera Prima 2023-2024 Award
| notable_works = La última frase
| education = Pompeu Fabra University
| alma_mater = Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Humanities
| website = https://camilacaneque.com/
}}
Camila Cañeque (June 15, 1984 – February 14, 2024) was a philosopher, conceptual and performance artist from Barcelona. Her work critiqued modernity and existential fatigue.{{Cite web |last=Egea |first=Ana Vidal |date=2024-02-23 |title=Muere a los 39 años Camila Cañeque, la filósofa y artista que abrazó la inactividad como forma de resistencia |url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2024-02-23/muere-a-los-39-anos-camila-caneque-la-filosofa-y-artista-que-abrazo-la-inactividad-como-forma-de-resistencia.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=El País |language=es}} Her work explored the concept of unproductivity, inefficiency and the unfinished in a chaotic world.{{Cite web |last=Molina |first=Ángela |date=2024-11-16 |title=Elogio de la nada, o la exposición póstuma de Camila Cañeque |url=https://elpais.com/babelia/2024-11-16/elogio-de-la-nada-o-la-exposicion-postuma-de-camila-caneque.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=El País |language=es}}
Background
Cañeque was born in Barcelona to parents Montse González Xicota and Ramón Cañeque.{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-11-21 |title=Camila Cañeque, Premio Zenda Ópera Prima 2023-2024 |url=https://www.zendalibros.com/camila-caneque-premio-zenda-opera-prima-2023-2024/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Zenda |language=es}}
Cañeque's early work involved inserting herself passively into spaces in character, investigating inaction.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2019-04-26 |title=Mana Performance Residencies: Camila Cañeque |url=https://www.artsy.net/article/mana-contemporary-mana-performance-residencies-camila-caneque |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Artsy |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-10-23 |title=Camila Cañeque, la artista que compuso una oda a la inactividad |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/cultura/20241023/10046066/camila-caneque-artista-compuso-oda-inactividad.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=La Vanguardia |language=es}} Her work has been described as sarcastic, and often with a dark sense of humor, exploring themes such as inaction and rebellion of a consumerist society.{{Cite web |last=Tur |first=Antoni Ribas |date=2024-10-23 |title=Descubrir la obra de Camila Cañeque después de su muerte prematura |url=https://es.ara.cat/cultura/arte/descubrir-obra-camila-caneque-despues-muerte-prematura_1_5180380.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Ara en Castellano |language=es}}
In 2013, she gained attention for a surprise performance piece at Madrid's {{Interlanguage link|ARCO art fair|lt=ARCO|ca|ARCO}} Contemporary art fair where she appeared lying on the ground in a flamenco dress surrounded by flowers and verses by Lorca. Her motionless performance, performance Dead end at the fair interrupted proceedings and sought to symbolize the "death of Spain".{{Cite web |last=Peco |first=Ramón |date=2013-02-15 |title=La artista censurada en ARCO cuando simbolizaba la muerte de España |url=https://elpais.com/smoda/la-artista-censurada-en-arco-cuando-simbolizaba-la-muerte-de-espana.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=El País |language=es}} The fair censored her performance.{{Cite web |last=Tur |first=Antoni Ribas |date=2024-02-23 |title=Muere la artista Camila Cañeque a los 39 años |url=https://es.ara.cat/cultura/arte/muere-artista-camila-caneque-39-anos_1_4947956.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Ara en Castellano |language=es}} Prior to exhibiting performance Dead end, Cañeque toured the United States dressed as a flamenco dancer for Souvenir, a critique on tourism.{{Cite web |last=Tur |first=Antoni Ribas |date=2024-10-23 |title=Descubrir la obra de Camila Cañeque después de su muerte prematura |url=https://es.ara.cat/cultura/arte/descubrir-obra-camila-caneque-despues-muerte-prematura_1_5180380.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Ara en Castellano |language=es}}
Cañeque would go on to exhibit her work internationally in New York, Brazil and across Europe.{{Cite web |last=Tur |first=Antoni Ribas |date=2024-02-23 |title=Muere la artista Camila Cañeque a los 39 años |url=https://es.ara.cat/cultura/arte/muere-artista-camila-caneque-39-anos_1_4947956.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Ara en Castellano |language=es}}
In 2019, she received a residency to develop new performance artworks at Mana Contemporary, for their Mana Contemporary x Secret Project Robot residency program. Cañeque did not consider herself a studio based artist. While in the United States, Cañeque described her residency as a "RETREAT" where she developed installations exploring the "gymnastics of stillness".
She died in her sleep unexpectedly at age 39. She was reportedly pregnant with her first child.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-18 |title=Camila Cañeque: cuando la muerte da un sentido total a la obra |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/cultura/culturas/20240518/9646755/camila-caneque-la-una-rota.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=La Vanguardia |language=es}} At the time of her death, she was finishing her first book La última frases, a treatise on the final endings of texts, in an exploration of the outcome of things.{{Cite web |title='La última frase' de Camila Cañeque |url=https://www.llibreriafinestres.com/recomendacion/la-ultima-frase-de-camila-caneque/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Finestres |language=ca}} The book would be published posthumously.{{Cite web |last=Sabaté |first=Jordi |date=2024-06-03 |title='La última frase', el libro póstumo de Camila Cañeque que reivindica y reflexiona sobre el final de las cosas |url=https://www.eldiario.es/cultura/ultima-frase-libro-postumo-camila-caneque-reivindica-reflexiona-final-cosas_1_11401660.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=ElDiario.es |language=es}}
Honours
In March 2024, Spanish artist Marc Montijano distributed poems by Lorca in a tribute to Cañeque at Madrid's ARCO art fair, similarly without permission from the fair's organizers.{{Cite web |last=Sabaté |first=Jordi |date=2024-03-11 |title=El legado de la fallecida Camila Cañeque, a la que expulsaron de ARCO por hacer una 'performance' sin permiso, vuelve a la feria |url=https://www.eldiario.es/cultura/legado-fallecida-camila-canete-expulsaron-arco-performance-permiso-vuelve-feria_1_10998154.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=ElDiario.es |language=es}}
In November 2024, she was posthumously awarded the Zenda Ópera Prima 2023-2024 Award for La última frase.
Bibliography
- La última frase, Camila Cañeque. Published April 2024 by La Uña Rota. {{ISBN|978-8418782459}}
References
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