![Maria Fernanda Cardoso, On the Origins of Art I-II [film still], single channel HD video, hyper realistic sound with tactile dimension, 6:54sec loop](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54012345e4b0f72d40b6c44e/1561610831287-T75JBP56SS50DFP7LBHO/Cardoso_On+the+Origins+of+Art+I_ARC+ONE.jpg)
Maria Fernanda Cardoso, On the Origins of Art I-II [film still], single channel HD video, hyper realistic sound with tactile dimension, 6:54sec loop
MARIA FERNANDA CARDOSO's video installation On the Origins of Art I-II is now on show at the MCA in their new exhibition The lover circles his own heart. The exhibition presents artworks from the MCA collection that deal with the theme of relationships.
The subject of Cardoso's video work is the Maratus, a tiny Australian spider commonly known as the peacock spider. The artist has recorded their ostentatious mating ritual using HD macro cinematography and a laser vibrometer, capturing the male spider's colourful dance and the distinctive beat it makes with its vibrating abdomen. With this work, Cardoso argues that humans are not alone in their production and appreciation of the arts – the spider's complex system of courtship has, after all, created a discerning aesthetic sense among the females, who will either choose or reject the male based on his choreographed performance!
The exhibition continues at the MCA until 22 September.