Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Figueiredo who is also featured in our exhibition V2.
I live and work in Rio de Janeiro. Initially, my creative process found a place in my education in architecture, a place that served as a trigger for my development of a creative-artistic vision that ended up emerging in other media. My experience as an architect is visible in the use of space and structures both in my collages and also in the use of physical compositions since I am constantly using technique and intuition, at the same time and in the same piece.
In my collages, I am very selective to subtract the unnecessary and, at the same time, bring a new narrative to the foreground each time.
With the collage I found a possibility of enunciation of my language, where images and words subscribe and resurrected motivating issues in painting and sculpture. From that, I started an exhaustive process in search of an image that will unfold in its original form, like the chain link that sums up an incessant search for a word of its own or a name, which will always result in something new.
My pieces have a strong Dadaist inspiration. The possibility of giving new meanings to images and changing their places and contexts is fascinating! It is about embracing the infinite value and the symbols that can be created when connected to each other. And that has a very strong power to change the perception that we have about colours, shapes and meanings. I have been working with analogue collage bonding on flat surfaces since 2013.
Self-taught or art school?
Initially, my creative process found a place in my education in architecture, a place that served as a trigger for my development of a creative-artistic vision that ended up emerging in other media.
If you could own one work of art what would it be?
The work “Transbordar”, (Portuguese for “transcendentalist”), a very personal work that allowed me to evolve as an artist. (It is a big chain made from paper–mâché packed in pages of a dictionary). The chain is exactly my height and all the words represent my life and my many roles, guided by reason and emotion, sometimes deep, sometimes shallow.
How would you describe your style?
The possibility to give new meanings to images and change their places and context is fascinating! It is about embracing the infinite value and symbols that can be created when connected to one another. And that has a very strong power to change the perception that one has about colours, shapes and meanings. I have great inspiration from the Dada movement. My works reflect, in a subjective way, personal, social and political moments.
Can you tell us about your artistic process?
I intuitively choose images that, although separate, come together within my subconscious and will fit into a different story. It’s the possibility of reusing old material and giving it new life, which fascinates me. I use various types of images, whether, from books, magazines, brochures, I developed a look that today is attentive to any image that catches my eye. A unique thing about my work is that I don’t like to give titles to my pieces because I feel that this influences the viewer’s imagination and I like that people have the freedom to be able to look and trace their own path inside each collage. I created my own working methodology and with each new creation process, something is added. My process consists of flipping through books and magazines and randomly choosing images. Never while I’m cutting I connect the images to each other. After this step, I catalogue in different folders in a way that makes sense to me. There are some images that I call key images. They are the ones who often start the work.
Is narrative important within your work?
Yes. images are powerful symbols that, through the connection, they establish with the other images that are around them, create a narrative with several meanings. I’m very selective as to subtract the unnecessary while bringing a new narrative to the forefront each time.
The word has become an intrinsic element of my work. Phrases are a collage made of words. Words can often be interpreted as a collage made of feelings. Through reading we appropriate the sentences, ideas contained in what was read and that somehow become part of us. By absorbing words and narratives, we are able to create feelings that never existed because they are often unrealistic. Imaginary situations come true at a time on a single page. By reading a book for a while and manipulating its pages, we also create a physical and organic connection to the paper.
Who are your favourite artists and why?
I have always been fascinated by the Dadaist movement. The way those artists brought irreverence and total freedom into the spotlight is simply incredible. Although Dada only lasted for a few years its impact was considerable. Duchamp, Max Ernest and Hannah Hoch are some of my favourites. They expanded the boundaries and context of what was considered acceptable as art, which in turn inspired future developments such as Action Painting, Pop Art, Happenings, Installations, Conceptual Art and its various post-modern splinter groups.
Max Ernest defines the mechanism of collage poetically by comparing two figures with no identity (umbrella and a typewriter) who find themselves in a commonplace (the artist’s desk) even coming from completely different realities and contexts, through of the imagination and manipulation of the creative hands of the artist, can be joined to create a new reality, a new absolute.
What or who inspires your art?
Currently, the works of Chiharu Shiota, because she is always questioning her limitations and had the courage to start creating into the space. Stepping into one of Shiota’s installations is akin to entering another world, one rife with the haunting beauty of ghostly objects and half-forgotten narratives.
Leandro Erlich Jr. because he plays with the reality and makes us to take a fresh look at what is actually happening around us and wonder, “Is there more than one reality?” and finally Weiwei resonated with me because he has the courage to show us, through his strong art, the world inside out. He shows us life behind the scenes. His art negotiates between history and contemporary moment; between traditional Chinese culture and western cultural imperialism.
Where’s your studio and what’s it like?
I work from home where I created a space that is sufficient and pleasant to work and store all my stuff.
Do you have any studio rituals?
The desire for creation is always reflected by some feeling or desire to express myself. Most of the time music is always my companion. And with others, I like to have a glass of wine to relax.
What are you working on currently?
The creation process is always exhausting and complex. But it leads us to incredible discoveries and challenges never before imagined. It is the confrontation with the new. Currently, I divide my time in analogical collages on supports such as canvas and cardboard and collages in large dimensions that can occupy the space.
Where can we buy your art?
You can buy directly through my instagram @art_of_patfigueiredo . Original works and some of them I have a limited edition available.
