Sep 4

Sep 4 QUIM ALCANTARA INTERVIEW

REVOADA

Quim Alcantara is a contemporary artist born in São Paulo in 1981, where he currently lives and works.

He began painting at a very young age and his abstract style geometric characteristic has been developing over the years. His artistic background includes working in painting at Atelier Gogó and Pimpa and artist Lelli de Orleans e Bragança. His challenge always being to produce work with his own personality. Unintentionally, he developed a line of reasoning that is close to the Japanese Zen art- where alignment is purposely unbalanced and the ultimate goal is not the work. Quim participated in projects for major clients such as panels and works for America Restaurants, CasaGrande Hotel Guaruja, boutique Daslu among others, and trompe-l’oeil paintings.

His training in visual arts (Panamericana, 1998) and design (FAAP, 2002) give a range of possibilities and broaden the horizons of his art. The current paintings emphasize modern influences, Cubist, post-impressionist and also contemporary Brazilian art. In addition to environmental issues, Quim explores some relations of society and time - questioning why we need everything so urgently and forget to live in the present.

Greatest inspirations or influences?

I’d highlight mainly Cézanne, Picasso, Kandinsky, Delaunay among many others.
And in the current scenario I follow especially the Brazilian artists Adriana Varejao, Vik Muniz and Beatriz Milhazes.

Most interesting response to your work so far?

My art has been presented at urban art exhibitions like Rhino Mania and Call Parade – where I can directly monitor the reaction of people in front of the artworks in places that are not used to seeing art. Teachers often ask me to use my artworks in classrooms, and one particular invitation was very interesting when an educational group contacted me to include a painting in their textbook.

Upcoming projects?

Currently I don’t have a big project in progress – but I welcome invitations!

I just created a fixed mural of 7 meters to the entrance of a condominium that is under construction on the coast of São Paulo, and I’m developing a very interesting series of paintings and works on paper.

What would be a dream project for you?

I’d love to create a permanent public artwork piece of monumental size in a highly populated location such as a metro station or in downtown NY, LA, London, Paris, Barcelona and of course in my country too – maybe on Paulista Avenue or beachfront in Copacabana in Rio. I also dream of setting up a project to teach art to underprivileged children. Brazilians are such creative people, such a project would discover talents in these communities that are only waiting for the opportunity.

Favorite websites, blogs, publications?

I like to follow the work of young curators and see how their thinking develops to understand the upcoming movements. I also try to find common points of my work with the current art scene and constantly seek new sources of information and inspiration.

Local sites like Dasartes, Cult, Bravo, Mapa das Artes, Canal Contemporaneo.

And international ones like Artinfo, E-Flux, DB Art Mag, Art Now, Elephant, etc.

How does Brazil and living there influence you or your work?

Historically Brazil does not have a culture of recognition or appreciation of the visual arts by the public or market. We had great times as modernism and concretism, but always with a lot of battles and few incentives.

But I believe we’re living in a great moment of Brazilian art, with great names and emerging poles of art (as Inhotim) that reflect this momentum alongside major exhibitions, fairs and biennials that we produce. I see that Brazil has great artistic potential but still seeks his place in the art world. Many of the artists who have earned their place in the world had to leave the country to settle down and create a more consistent career.

Anything else you would like to share?

I would like to invite all your readers to explore and find out more about Brazilian art and culture. There are plenty of Brazilian artists and creatives presenting and exhibiting all over the world ( for example OsGemeos in Boston). I also hope you will visit my website and like my facebook page. Come visit Brazil, I am sure you will feel at home!