An in-depth look at Carlos Bunga's multifaceted practice through a number of essays and a rich iconography including previously unpublished photos that reveal his working process.
Carlos Bunga: Inhabit the Contradiction is an extensive monograph devoted to the work of Carlos Bunga, published in conjunction with his eponymous exhibition presented at CAM – Gulbenkian.
The book contains notes by the exhibition curator and catalogue editor, Rui Mateus Amaral, who introduces readers to the exhibition project, providing an in-depth account of its genesis and development, focusing on the dialogue between Bunga's work and selected pieces from the CAM collection. The notes describe both Bunga's new and existing works, as well as their configuration within the space, with the intention of opening up multiple points of access to the exhibition, leaving room for individual interpretation.
Designed by as ilhas studio, the catalogue also contains new essays by various authors written especially for the occasion—Rina Carvajal, Roland Groenenboom,
Omar Kholeif, November Paynter, and Catarina Rosendo—each offering an in-depth look at salient aspects of the artist's multifaceted practice.
The content is complemented by
DNA 2015–25, a dictionary-style text that Bunga began in 2015 and adapted for this publication. The terms, which the artist defines in his own unique way, are keywords that allow the reader to enter into Bunga's current thought process, and into his particular approach to the world of art.
The book also contains a rich picture section, mainly dedicated to site-specific works and performances: a series of installation views, video stills, and performance views alternate with photographs, published for the first time, documenting the installation and assembly process of numerous exhibitions and works. Like a slide show, this image gallery offers a unique and generous insight into Bunga's working method through the main projects the artist has worked on between 2019 and 2025. The poster enveloping the book completes the documentation, providing a snapshot of the installation of
Inhabit the Contradiction at CAM – Gulbenkian, Lisbon.
Carlos Bunga (born 1976 in Porto, lives and works in Barcelona) is well known for his large scale installations in which he often uses fragile, perishable materials (in particular cardboard, sticking tape and paint) to build architectural structures, which he sometimes later destroys in performances or even before the exhibition opens. Built over weeks, his site-specific projects are made in direct dialogue with the surrounding architecture. His work ranges from huge installations to video, sculptural objects and drawings that often reflect upon his installations.
