Paulo Nimer Pjota at Morena Di Luna

About

This show will run until the 15 October. The space is open Saturdays and Sundays from 12 - 6pm only. The exhibition follows on from his solo show in our London gallery space in 2016. Next year a full programme begins from April to October in Hove with exhibitions of longer duration.

The work of the Brazilian artist Paulo Nimer Pjota is an allegorical journey through histories and cultures referring to everyday objects, vernacular architecture and street life. He uses large un-stretched canvas and sheets of found metal to create works that incorporate detailed renderings of masks, plants, isolated words, vases, cartoon and historical characters. The imagery and storytelling in his works in part derives from his earlier life experience on the streets of São Paulo and his interest in music, history, philosophy and criminal symbology. His work encompasses a varied and at times poetic exploration of his relationship with the city where he works and lives.

‘I don’t consider myself a figurative painter. I paint images as objects, not as figuration. In Brazil, it’s more difficult to find something close to what I do. The school of painting in Brazil is different from mine. In fact, I don’t worry about being a painter. I'm more influenced by music.
I have some paintings where the title is taken from a song. If you think of the composition, you can imagine a rapper, sampling and repeating to produce the beat. I do it with my pieces: I cut a part of the history and reproduce, cut another part and reproduce. The balance of the composition works according to the flow of the objects. There’s repetition, and you realize that there are lines that connect the objects and mark making.
I'm interested in social issues because this is part of my own history with painting and as a person - my aesthetic interests overlap with these issues. If you live in Brazil, these socio/political questions are part of your day-to-day. I've expanded my painting into space. My work already had this character due to its architectural scale and my personal research into vernacular and popular architecture.’

Paulo Nimer Pjota