First solo exhibition with new works by the São Paulo-born artist Paulo Whitaker at Roberto Alban Art Gallery in November
The exhibition Conversa Tranquila na Praia da Paciência presents 21 works by the artist from November 8th to December 7th 2013
Conversa Tranquila na Praia da Paciência (Calm Conversation at Paciência Beach) is the title of the first solo exhibition of the artist Paulo Whitaker in Salvador. The exhibition will be on Roberto Alban Art Gallery from November 7th for guests and from November 8th to December 7th for the general public.
It’s the first time that Salvador hosts a significant exhibition of Paulo Whitaker’s pictorial work, with 21 works that reflect his present production. The artist has been exhibited, was awarded with the acquisition ,besides being part of various private and public collections, such as Instituto Cultural Itaú and Museu de Arte Contemporânea, in Paraná, Whitaker was awarded the acquisition prize by Pinacoteca de São Paulo in 2013 and by Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo (MAC- USP) in 1993, through the Gunther Painting Prize. Also in 2013, another work by the artist is donated to the collection of the MAC-USP, chose by its present director, Tadeu Chiarelli.
Paulo Whitaker has been an expressive presence in the national scene since the 1980’s, being recognized internationally as one of the exponents of the Brazilian abstractionism. He participated in the 3rd Mercosul Biennial (2001) in Porto Alegre, the 25th edition of São Paulo International Biennial (2002) and Biennale de Montreal (2007) in Canada. Still in the 1990’s, he was a resident artist in Germany (E-Werk Freiburg) and twice in Canada (Plug In and The Banff Centre for the Arts). His work attracted the attention of important Brazilian and international critics and curators.
Paulo Whitaker’s work challenges the universe of painting itself and the traditional composition of its elements: colors, shapes, stains, lines, planes that are not committed to representing the world; alphabets that don’t allow themselves to be decoded. His painting defies the limits between abstraction and figuration and invites the public to a conversation, more intriguing than calm. Only facing his painting, live, the eyes can dive in all its matter, but never reach the bottom of its mystery. According to the artist himself:
“The backbone of what is my work today comes from 1989, when I created my own alphabet of shapes and contents. Since then my constructions and shapes have developed. It’s like the composition of an instrumental song, for example.”
The exhibition will allow Bahia’s public to know Paulo Whitaker’s work better, which had already participated in the opening exhibition of Roberto Alban Art Gallery in the beginning of 2013. In bringing to Salvador new works of contemporary artists of the south/southeast axis and, at the same time, giving visibility to Bahia’s contemporary art, the gallery aims at interfering in the art scene’s dynamics – focusing on forming a public, strengthening the art market and valuing the local artist. This issue was also discussed by Paulo Whitaker:
“I know contemporary artists from Bahia such as Vinícius S.A., Almandrade, Marepe, Willyams Martins and many others. I highlight here the essential role of Roberto Alban Art Gallery. I’m sure that this space will broaden the participation of artists from Bahia in the national and international scene of the great art events.”
Paulo Whitaker
Painter and draftsman Paulo Whitaker graduated in Art Education at Universidade para o Desenvolvimento do Estado de Santa Catarina - Udesc/SC, in 1984. Among various exhibitions, he participated in the 25th São Paulo International Biennial, in 2002. Between 1991 and 1992, he was a resident artist at Plug In, in Winnipeg, Canada ,and at E-Werk Freiburg in Germany and in 1999, at The Banff Centre for the Arts, also in Canada. This same year, he participated in the exhibition Brazilian Contemporary Art on Paper at the MAM, in São Paulo and in 2001 participated in the 3rd Mercosul Biennial in Porto Alegre. He also took a part of 2007 Biennial of Montreal. Paulo Whitaker received the Gunther Painting Award of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Universidade de São Paulo in 1993; in 1998, at the VI Salão Nacional Victor and the Grand Award of the Santa Catarina Art Museum. He has works is part of important collections ,institutions and museums such as: Santa Catarina Art Museum - MASC, Museum of Modern Art in São Paulo – MAM/SP, Museum of Contemporary Art of Universidade de São Paulo, MAC/USP, Paraná Museum of Contemporary Art – MAC/PR, Museum of Brazilian Art of the Armando Álvares Penteado Foundation – MAB/Faap, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, among others.
About Roberto Alban Art Gallery
Founded in 1989, in Salvador, the Roberto Alban Art Gallery aims at fostering the Modern Art from Bahia and Brazil. The new gallery’s headquarters with an area of 1500m², divided in three floors, was specially designed to host exhibitions of various artistic languages. The highlights are the 140m² main exhibition room with 8m headroom, a 100m² collection room and an outdoor terrace for large sculptures and installations. In this new moment, the Gallery works with renowned artists of the Brazilian contemporary art, such as Raul Mourão, Elizabeth Jobim, Luiz Hermano, Gabriela Machado, besides encouraging the promotion of contemporary artists from Bahia, like Willyams Martins and Vinícius S.A. Our goal is to promote these works to institutions, collectors, curators and the public in general, through solo and collective exhibitions, besides participating in the main art fairs. A collective exhibition, Aproximações Contemporâneas, whose presentation text was produced by the historian and art critic Paulo Venâncio Filho, opened the gallery on April 18th 2013, with works of the artists Gabriela Machado, Elizabeth Jobim, Luiz Hermano, Maria Lynch, Paulo Whitaker, Raul Mourão, Alexandre Mury, Willyams Martins and Vinicius S.A. We are aware of the importance of marking a turning point in the contemporary art of the Northeastern region. At the same time, our objective is to provide space and visibility to the contemporary art, promoting an interchange between artists, curators, critics and collectors so that there’s exchange, circulation and production of contemporary art beyond the south/southeast axis in Brazil.
Exhibition Conversa Tranquila na Praia da Paciência – Paulo Whitaker
Cocktail party for guests When: November 7th, at 8:00pm
Open to the public When: November 8th to December 7th 2013 Address: Roberto Alban Galeria de Arte - Rua Senta Pua nº 53, Ondina / Salvador / BA Working hours: from Monday to Friday, from 10:00am to 7:00pm. Saturdays from 10:00am to 1:00pm Free admission Phone: + 55 71 3243-3982 www.robertoalbangaleria.com.br
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