Alexandre da Cunha

About

Camden Arts Centre is proud to present an exhibition of newly commissioned work by London-based Brazilian artist Alexandre da Cunha. His dynamic, large-scale sculptures improvise on the concept of the readymade by reusing everyday objects: job lots from pound shops, surplus fabrics and recycled goods, reflecting on their specific histories and aesthetics. Prior to the exhibition Da Cunha will be artist in residence in Camden Arts Centre's Artists' Studio, developing a new sculptural installation for Gallery 3. He often incorporates plinths or pedestals into pieces, examining classical ideas of presentation and the relationship to where the piece begins or ends. His approach also has a playfulness and humour. In recent work he has collaborated with crafts people such as wool spinners and dyers, transforming materials from their humble beginnings into spectacular objects. Da Cunha's recent solo exhibition at the Vilma Gold Gallery, London in 2008 explored his use of appropriation, showcasing street vendors who transfer images from magazines and other printed media onto t-shirts. Each collage was called a Sampling. Da Cunha's work often deals with the wider concern of the human condition, commenting on the distribution of wealth in his native Brazil.