Rigo 23
Born on Madeira Island, Portugal, in 1966, and based in San Francisco, CA since the late 1980s, Rigo 23’s practice has been Intercultural from the start. However, he has actively sought a dialogue with contemporary native artists and thinkers.
Initial contacts with Northern California tribes from the Klamath River area led to lifelong connections (1991). Two person exhibitions with Brian D. Tripp (1995 and 2010). A visit to Madeira Island by George Blake, Annelia Norris, and Alme Allen, which included a mural, workshops, spoken and sung word performances and a visit to Cristovao Colombo’s Museum-House in Porto Santo(2000).
Rigo 23 started visiting São Paulo, Brasil, to prepare work for Human/Nature: Artists Respond to a Changing Planet (2005-08). Three community leaders – Guarani, Caiçara and Quilombola – chosen by their respective communities traveled to California, where they spoke at Berkeley Art Museum. During the visit, we traveled north where they met with representatives of the Hoopa, Yurok and Karuk Tribes (2009).
In order to develop what would become the Autonomous InterGalactic Space Program (2009), he started visiting Chiapas, and EZLN affiliated communities. From this project, a meeting between Emory Douglas, former Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party, and EZLN artists and activists developed (2012).
