Maniers-Manners-Maneiras
Autobiographical elements often seem to find their way into an artist’s work, so it is not surprising that Isabel Ferrand, who was born in Portugal, spent her younger years in Africa and subsequently moved to Holland, weaves her family history into her work. Taking this a step further, in her film series, Maneiras, Manners, Manieren, she consciously evokes visual patterns that one could call cultural habits or postures and presents her findings in unpretentious but lucid vignettes.
Cultural inheritance
These simple gestures and manners learned in youth, which people unconsciously perform – the way we hold a knife and fork, wrap a package, or write numbers – can reveal one’s identity. Unbeknownst, these simple gestures take on a deeper meaning outside their own indigenous territory.
The way we hold a knife and fork, wrap a package, or write numbers – can reveal one’s identity
Amidst the flux of immigration discussions in Holland, of dual nationality, of native born, of the immigrant, or born of immigrant parents, Isabel Ferrand recognized a pattern, a pattern of the ‘other’. This raised questions such as; what are the inherent characteristics of the ‘other’ that cannot be concealed by assimilation into an adopted society? Language can be learned; style of dress changed, but these movements, postures, manners, at a certain moment, will unmask the ‘other’ exposing one’s ‘true’ identity, a testimony to the inherent quality and intensity of behavioural cultural inheritance.
Isabel Ferrand captures these nearly ‘invisible’ yet recognizable patterns on film and is able to transform the insignificant task of peeling an orange into a culturally significant performance.
Text: Voornaam Achternaam