Johanna Calle : Longitudes

Starting September 12, Galeria Marilia Razuk  presents “Longitudes” by Colombian artist Johanna Calle. Regarding the exhibition’s title, “longitude refers to both a geographic and a cartographic term and involves a system of measurement that uses degrees or minutes, respectively, to determine a location,” explains the artist. Among many others, the systems used for geographic measurements range from rods, feet, miles, nautical miles, and leagues to paces or kilometers. The ability to locate and demarcate an area has made it possible to define territories, borders, countries, cities, and private properties. Ultimately, the concept of longitudes—as an aesthetic research project—addresses the urgent need to know where we are situated or located.

“Before the metric system was adopted in Central Europe in 1872, distances were measured in Schritte (steps) and Klafter (fathoms),” explains Johanna. The convergence of these measurement methods gave rise to this exhibition, in which the artist presents dozens of works comprising three series created between 2024 and 2026. They are: Enclaves (2024–2026), Grafías (2025), and Bratislava (2026). In the latter, the drawings are executed in ink on graph paper from the 1970s. According to Johanna, “the paper was purchased in the city formerly known as Prešporok—a place where the historical names Pressburg and Pozsony remain officially recognized to this day. Names, borders, and people’s ideologies have changed, but the act of measuring has not.”