Sintography

Sintography, by Brazilian artist Chebel, is a project that fuses the aesthetics of abstract expressionism with contemporary photography. Inspired by the often-overlooked female pioneers of abstract expressionism, including Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler and many more, Chebel employs image synthesis to reimagine their work. By selecting sections of their paintings and training a custom model, she infuses her own photographic compositions with echoes of their bold brushstrokes and palettes. The photographic work at the core of the project focuses on women engaged in Danzamedicina. Created by Brazilian body-psychotherapist Morena Cardoso, it consists of an embodiment method aimed at unlocking the secrets of enjoyment and expression long suppressed by patriarchal constraints. This experimental practice sees dance and movement as a somatic narrative that fosters positive ruptures to explore new subjectivities. Through her techniques, Morena Cardoso encourage participants to rewild their bodies and move beyond the fear-guilt-shame triad imposed by patriarchy. Sintography captures this wide range of emotions - joy, pain, doubt, rage - transforming the subjects into conduits of raw feeling and conceptual expression. Through this process, identities are abstracted, and images become manifestations of emotion, blurring the lines between art forms. Sintography is a wordplay between photography, image synthesis, and the word sinto (“I feel” in Portuguese). Sintography stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of female artists and the power of artistic innovation to bridge past and present. It plays with notions of representation and celebrates the timeless brilliance of the female gaze.