SELFIE – RAFAEL BARON

20.11.2021 – 08.01.2022

“Selfie“ is Rafael Baron‘s first solo show in the gallery, where 15 new works from his most recent production in painting are displayed. The critical text is signed by curator and educator Thiago de Paula Souza, who proposes a look on the role that digital self-portraits have gained in our lives in a context of technological changes experienced in Brazil and in the world in the last 20 years.

In his research and practice, Rafael Baron investigates the traditions of portrait painting with an eye to contemporary poetics. Through expressive brushstrokes and strong colors, the artist seeks to reveal the subjectivities of the human figure, inviting the public to become coauthors of the characters he creates.

In “Selfie”, these characters appear in different situations and in different formats, but all in large dimensions. In recent months, Baron has been exploring other ways to create boundaries for his images, in addition to experimenting with new supports, such as glass and mirrors. In the show, there are some works in which the audience can use the reflective character of the surface, both to observe their bodies in dialogue with the brushstrokes, as well as to portray themselves and continue with the infinite game of reflections and layers of relationships between the images.

During the exhibition period, a printed catalogue will be available, bringing together both images of the works included in the show, as well as some more textual contributions. In addition to Thiago de Paula Souza’s critical text, curator Raphael Fonseca signs a presentation text and Adriana Varejão, an artist who has been working since the 1980s and has given more and more attention and support to a young generation of visual artists, asks Rafael Baron a series of questions and stimulates an exercise of memory that makes the artist review his first interests in the field of visual arts and some aspects of his biography.

“Selfie” runs until 8th January 2022. Visiting times are from Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11 am to 7 pm, and on Saturdays, from 11 am to 5 pm. Free admission.

Click here and download the digital PDF catalog with information about all the works, critical text, exhibition views and minibios (photos: Rafael Salim).

INFO

“Selfie” – Rafael Baron
Critical text: Thiago de Paula Souza
Opening (+ catalogue launch): Saturday, 20th November, from 2 to 6 pm
Period of exhibition: 20.11.2021 – 8.01.2022
Visiting times: Tues to Fri, 11 am – 7 pm, Sat, 11 am – 5 pm
Where: Portas Vilaseca Galeria (Rua Dona Mariana, 137 – casa 2 – Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil)
Free admission, respecting all WHO protocols.