Galeria Superfície is pleased to present the first solo exhibition by artist Martinho Patrício (João Pessoa, 1964) in São Paulo.

The artist begins his career in 1991, when he holds his first solo exhibition at Pinacoteca da Universidade de João Pessoa, where he shows for the first time works made in fabric. In 1996, he participated in the 30th Salão de Artes Plásticas no Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia (MAM-BA) and received an Honorable Mention. Also in 1996, he participated in the exhibition “Antarctica Artes com a Folha”, at Pavilhão Manoel da Nóbrega, in São Paulo, presenting the works “Danúbio Azul 1 e 2”. He held a solo exhibition at Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia, in 1997, and at Museu de Arte Moderna Aloisio Magalhães (MAMAM- PE), Recife, 2002.

In this exhibition, he presents specific works that characterized his production from the 1990s, including the work “Iêdas” (2002). In 2002, he participated in the group exhibition “Caminhos do Contemporâneo 1950–2002”, at Paço das Artes, Rio de Janeiro, with a work from the red series, made in linen and satin ribbon. At Observatório Cultural Torre Malakoff, Recife, in 2005, he held a solo exhibition with the work “Brincar com Lygia”  — an installation made up of small triangular pieces, made with laminated paper, which form a game and with which the artist provokes the participation of the public, at the same time he makes a comment on the work of Brazilian artist Lygia Clark and on the democratization of the work of art, making multiples of the game available for sale at the price of R$1.00.

In 2006, he participated in the 27th Bienal de São Paulo: Como Viver Junto, presenting a series of small works made in grosgrain and lace, and the installation “Brincar com Lygia” (2005). In 2007, he was part of the “Futuro do Presente” exhibition, at Instituto Itaú Cultural, with the installation “Brincar com Volpi” (2007). That same year, he participated in the 30th Panorama da Arte Brasileira: Contraditório, at Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM-SP), with a series of 20 drawings called “Expansão”, which today makes up the MAM-SP collection. In 2009, he was part of the “Programa Radiovisual”, at the 7th Mercosul Biennial: Grito e Escuta, Porto Alegre, producing the audio, entitled “Tapioca” (2009). Other works by the artist are part of Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia collection, Museu de Arte Contemporânea do Paraná (MAC-PR), Museu de Arte Moderna Aloisio Magalhães, Núcleo de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade Federal da Paraíba and Pinacoteca da Universidade Federal da Paraíba. Currently, Martinho lives and works in João Pessoa.

With a peculiar work — usually in fabric — he develops concepts related to time, religiosity, the sacred and profane, death, the deformation of objects of worship and rites. At the same time, he deals with issues related to popular imagination, contrasting textures of rustic materials linked to the traditions of the Northeast in order to establish dialogues between them. The use of fabric as a support for the works is anchored in strong references to the artist’s daily life, since early on, surrounded by a varied repertoire of liturgical and playful forms made of ingenuity and cloth. Although cultured constructive forms are close, these other forms in Martinho’s works are not fixed or rigid, giving in to the wind and the proximity of the human body. The procedure proposed by the artist allies his interest in form (until then achieved by fabrics, ribbons, fuxicos, lace and their darning) to the spontaneity of the configuration of a game like that of cowries.

At Superfície, Martinho will present the new project “Me Molde”, and other important works that punctuate the career and work of this important artist, such as “Rosários” and the drawings from the “Expansão” series, which are part of the MAM-SP collection.