Born in Germany, Marina Schroeder's father was living in Brazil when the wall fell, on November 9, 1989, which, let's face it, wasn't that long ago. For us here in Brazil, not much has changed, since the Cold War affected countries above the equator more. But for someone who was born in a city that was divided for decades, it meant a lot. After all, which side did the people who lived in this city belong to? Would it have been enough for the wall to fall and everything would have gone back to normal? Divided families who had not seen each other for decades. It seems unbelievable, but we are currently experiencing a very similar situation in Ukraine. For these and many other reasons, the artist's series "The Other Side" is so relevant, and will always be.

“O lado de lá” are sculptures made with cement bricks and semi-precious stones tied together with delicate golden wires. Simple materials that have enormous meaning for those who have been in a war situation, forced to live in another country, another culture, without knowing the whereabouts of their family. The poetic and powerful nature of this work lies precisely in the simplicity of the materials used to build the sculptures. The pink room floats, almost as if by magic, in the hollow of the brick suspended by thin strands of wire. The title of the work says it all. What is the other side? And this side? There should be no sides, since the earth is round, and the goal of globalization was to unite peoples and cultures. We have never been so disunited, and cultures so disrespected. “O lado de lá” can also be seen as a series of beautiful sculptures/amulets, since rose quartz is the element that catches our eye, both for its beauty and its meaning. But it can also bring up another issue that is no less dear to Marina. To shed light on materials that are not praised or seen in our daily lives. In the same way that we do not see what happens around us.

With a degree in architecture, Marina worked for 20 years in the events industry, combining a lot of creativity and dedication. Art has been present in her life since she was a teenager. At work, it was no different. It takes a lot of research and creativity to create an environment that lives up to people's dreams. Whether it's a wedding or a corporate event. Research into flowers, environments, sounds, furniture, and lighting. A true artistic installation. In other words, art has been part of Marina's work for a long time.

An observant artist, this series was inspired by fungi, organisms that we live with every day in our homes - in the food we eat, in our bodies - and that are rarely seen or desired. However, it was precisely the marks left by these beings on the walls of her home that led her to conduct extensive research expressed in paintings, watercolors and objects transformed into true landscapes.

Marina's works bring back stories in a very subtle way, whether through the titles of the works or through the delicacy of the paintings that transform facts from her life - and marks left by what we don't want to see - into beautiful paintings, objects and photographs. Marks of our history that we sometimes feel an urge to erase. But these marks exist, are present, have beauty and are extremely important.

Marina gives light to that which is unseen, but which is part of life. Because life and art are one and the same.

Rejane Cintrao
September, 2023