Meet Mateus Grimm
We received another great report from our friend Ana Ferraz, this time about the Brazilian talent Mateus Grimm. He's worked for years on the streets of Porto Alegre, had shows all over Brazil, painted trains with Os Gemeos, and has now opened his newest show 'Atadura' at A CASA Gallery in Curitiba. Read more to learn about this artist and for a massive photo report of his work from the show.
Atadura, Mateus Grimm solo exhibition
by Ana Ferraz
Mateus Grimm, from Porto Alegre, Brazil, has the ability to transport flying elephants and whales, among other strange creatures, directly from his head to walls, with continuous spray lines. With roots in graffiti and skateboarding Grimm was the first artist to have a show at Adesivo Gallery in December 2003, and returned in 2005 with his artist collective Doentes Pelas Cores. He participated in another show in Porto Alegre at M.A.C, in the Xirugravura book and show at Choque Cultural, and was one of the three artists invited by OSGEMEOS to paint Porto Alegre's metro trains. In 2008 Mateus painted a 46ft column at the urban and contemporary art show TRANSFER at Santander Cultural, where he also collaborated as part of the NOH Collective as an architect of the giant skateable sculpture in the center of the building. Mateus also has a Converse model released in Brazil featuring his artwork, works as the art director for Naipe Skateboards and is one of the owners of the architecture studio and artist collective Unidade Criacao.
Atadura (Bandage) is Grimm's second solo exhibition. Taking place at A CASA gallery, in Curitiba, the capital of Paraná state, and curated by Lucas Ribeiro, this show seems to be the right moment for the artist to integrate his many techniques and skills, reflect about his life and reconfigure his art. Inspired by a special notebook made by the artist and filled for over two years with drawings, Grimm presents watercolors on paper, spray and ink on canvas, sculptures, and murals painted directly on the gallery walls.
Each one of the four walls from A CASA represents a planet on the galaxy of possibilities opened by this little notebook that worked as a visual diary for Mateus' life and imagination, including thoughts about family, friends, love and spiritual connections. There are detailed drawings, mostly made with a blue ballpoint pen, presenting blue lines that seem to come from an architectonic project, maybe predicting the future construction of this exhibition. By the way, this notebook is impressive even when it's closed, by its copper color and by its cover materials; including something that looks like a metallic web that is, in truth, a cotton object used to protect injuries: a bandage.
For more info check out:
www.flickr.com/photos/acasagaleria
