The Prosopopoeias

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BACKGROUND: Pintos-Lopez's Proposopoeias project consisted of 60 small-scale mixed-media sculptures created by hand. They were exhibited at Counihan Gallery in Brunswick - the Moreland Council public art gallery focusing on contemporary art. CONTRIBUTION: While Pintos-Lopez's previous sculptures focussed on the audience's engagement to create new narratives, this new body of work specifically engaged with other people's materials and memories to reformulate them as figurative sculptures. The title 'prosopopoeia' refers to the representation of an abstract quality or idea as a person or creature. It is a form of anthropomorphism, where inanimate objects become activated through the projection of human characteristics. This idea of resonance is positioned as extending the field that interactive or relational art occupies by explicitly engaging the audience member individually through emotional and imaginative response. The project extends Pintos-Lopez's research practice within the field of experiential sculpture, contributing to the idea that transactional objects can form resonant relations. SIGNIFICANCE: The significance of this project is evidenced through its selection for exhibition at Counihan Gallery, which has a competitive selection process: 50-80 proposals are submitted yearly for only 15 exhibition slots. Proposals are assessed by a selection panel of the Gallery Curator (Victor Griss), Gallery Assistant (Catherine Martin), Unit Manager of Arts and Culture and a representative of the Moreland Arts Board, which makes recommendations to the Director Social Development for approval. The exhibition was opened by Councillor Meghan Hopper, Mayor of Moreland.