Ana Aragão

This is Ana Aragão’s first solo appearance at Underdogs, following exhibitions in London and Tokyo, as well as Lisbon’s Museu do Oriente and Oporto’s Casa da Arquitetura.

Based on the board game Monopoly’s rules and power struggles, Monopolis consists of a monumental wall, lined with drawings of unbuilt cities: a manifesto for the right to imagination. It reflects on the state of housing and cities in our current era. Rather than a political proposition, the artist reflects on the notion of personal space: in her own words, “a house serves not only as the domain of the body, but also as the domain of the imagination”. It brings forward a series of imaginary cities, rooted in the popular board game. In order to buy a house, a player must get ahead; to win, they must lead others to bankruptcy.

The works that make up Monopolis also reflect on their own nature: the representation of cities influences how they are designed, developed and lived, in a practical and familiar way, but also through an intimate and emotional lens. Although human bodies might not be found inside these imaginary cities, they still find a way to make sure their presence is felt.

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