Opening: Relieving Patterns by Henrique Neves

About

Recently, the artist inherited a group of architectural drawings and projects from his grandfather’s archive. Among the plans, Neves recognised his primary school. Intrigued by the idea of working with these objects, the artist started a trial and error process of transferring these drawings onto metallic surfaces. The process became an discovery of architectural drawing, mediation with his grandfather’s practice, and, most of all, a transformation of the plans into something less rigid. 

Another influence in Neves’ artistic practice is his great-grandmother, a seamstress, and presence that instigated the desire to reference needlework and fabric. As well as the architectural plans, Neves also took possession of his great-grandmother’s patterns and templates for making shirt collars and cuffs and these inspired the forms the sculptural objects take. The juxtaposition of the rigid architectural plans and the freer seamstress patterns instigated the resolving of these differences into single forms. 

Once the architectural drawings were freely realised onto the metal, the artist started the process of moulding curvilinear forms in the search for a balance between both professions - the architect and the seamstress - and their influence on Neves’ artistic practice.

The exhibition “Relieving Patterns” marks the end of the series “Unimagined Surroundings”, a group show in four parts exploring the intersections between art and architecture.

The series is curated by Brunno Silva.