Works
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About
Paulo Monteiro continues his ongoing reconciliation of the dual forms of painting and sculpture by constructing a narrative between them. Continuously exploring the margins and limits of shape, Monteiro utilizes negative space as a medium in order to make his paintings feel like sculptures, and his sculptures feel like paintings. His palette oscillates between predominantly cool and warm tones, dark blues and a variety of reds that at once create an interlocking depth and almost strident contrast; his whites and greys offer a tactility akin to that of his drawings.
Monteiro began his artistic practice in the 1980’s by precariously assembling found wood into compositions that simultaneously suggest motion and collapse, focusing on the expression of the material. In the last decade Monteiro has turned to pieces of rope, scraps of wood, cardboard, aluminum strips, and clay for the foundations of his sculptures. When using clay, he splays clay slabs open, dissects, and squeezes them with his hand until an animated interior reveals itself. The same conceptual unfolding process is applied to his painting technique, with inversions and constructions operating from the center of the painting. Paint is pushed to the edges of the canvas, creating forceful, physical borders. It is common that two paintings made with the same strokes appear different, dependent on the canvas’s color, shape, and scale which he varies greatly.
While a malleable physicality suffuses through his works, Monteiro has also been preoccupied with exploring the possibility of the line for most of his career, manifested as strokes in his work on paper, relief in his paintings, and cuts in his sculptures. His lines are never completely straight nor do they follow a logic, in a Deleuzeian sense they are pulling in both directions at once, existing in a space between the affirmation and negation of space.
This radical plasticity in relation to the viewer led Monteiro to his “constellations”—configurations of his paintings and sculptures— which deal with the physicality of the object in relation to the artist and viewer, much like one of Willys de Castro’s Active Objects. It is through the careful positioning of the negative space that these “constellations” take on form. Monteiro also achieves this through his sculptures formed by the negative imprint of his hand and fingers molded in clay and later cast in bronze or lead. His subject here is the interior life and inner drive of objects and in his words aims to “bring life to something lifeless.”
Paulo Monteiro (1961, São Paulo, Brazil) lives and works in São Paulo.
Monteiro began working as an artist in 1977, drawing comic strips in a style influenced by cartoonists such as Robert Crumb and George McManus and the renowned Brazilian caricaturist Luiz Sá. Between 1983 and 1985, he was an integral part of the group Casa 7 alongside Carlito Carvalhosa, Fábio Miguez, Nuno Ramos, and Rodrigo Andrade. Together these artists participated in exhibitions at MAC – São Paulo, MAM-RJ and the 18th São Paulo Biennial in 1985, bringing Neo-Expressionism to the forefront of the São Paulo art scene. In the late 1980s and the early 2000s, Monteiro immersed himself in his sculptural practice. His return to painting over a decade ago brought a new level of consciousness to his work.
His works have been featured prominently in exhibitions such as Colors without a place, Tomio Koyoma, Tokyo (2022); Paulo Monteiro: The Two Sides of An Empty Line, Lévy Gorvy, New York (2021); The Empty Side, Zeno X, Antwerp (2018); Coleção MAC Niterói: arte contemporânea no Brasil, MAC Niterói, Rio de Janeiro (2017); The outside of distance, MISAKO & ROSEN and Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo (2017); Building Material: Process And Form In Brazilian Art, Hauser & Wirth, Los Angeles (2017); The inside of distance, Office Baroque, Brussels (2016); The inside of distance, Mendes Wood DM, São Paulo (2015); Casa 7, Pivô, São Paulo (2015); Empty House Casa Vazia, Luhring Augustine, New York (2015); Paintings on Paper, David Zwirner, New York (2014); Where Were You, Lisson Gallery, London (2014); 22nd São Paulo Art Biennial (1994) and 18th São Paulo Art Biennial (1985).
His works are in numerous permanent collections, such as MoMA, MAM-SP (São Paulo Modern Art Museum), Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, MAC-SP (São Paulo Contemporary Art Museum), MAM-RJ (Rio de Janeiro Modern Art Museum) and Niterói Contemporary Art Museum.
CV
Education
BA, Faculdade de Belas Artes de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Solo Shows
2022
The Middle Distance, Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
Colors without a place, Tomio Koyama, Tokyo, Japan
2021
Paulo Monteiro: The Two Sides of An Empty Line, Lévy Gorvy, New York, USA
2019
Paulo Monteiro, Mendes Wood DM, New York, USA
2018
The Empty Side, Zeno X, Antwerp, Belgium
2017
Mendes Wood DM São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
The outside of distance, MISAKO & ROSEN and Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2016
The inside of distance, Office Baroque, Brussels, Belgium
2015
The inside of distance, Mendes Wood DM, São Paulo, Brazil
2013
Paulo Monteiro, Mendes Wood DM, São Paulo, Brazil
2012
Coisa Superfície, Centro Universitário Mariantonia, São Paulo, Brazil
2011
Viagem ao miolo do meio, Galeria Marília Razuk, São Paulo, Brazil
2010
Misturado, Carlos Carvalho Galeria de Arte, Lisbon, Portugual
2008
Marília Razuk Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
2005
Marília Razuk Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
2003
Gravuras, Marília Razuk Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
Lisboa 20 Arte Contemporânea, Lisbon, Portugal
2002
Galeria 10,20 × 3,60, São Paulo, Brazil
2003
Alpendre, Fortaleza, Brazil
2000
Marília Razuk Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
1998
Marília Razuk Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
1994
Marília Razuk Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
Pinturas, Paulo Figueiredo Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
1993
Desenhos, Pinturas e Esculturas, Paulo Figueiredo Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
1990
Esculturas e Desenhos, Paulo Figueiredo Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
1989
Desenhos, Galeria Macunaíma, Funarte, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1987
Esculturas, Gabinete de Arte Raquel Arnaud, São Paulo, Brazil
1982
Gravuras em metal, SESC São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Group Shows
2023
Esfíngico Frontal, Mendes Wood DM São Paulo, Brazil
2022
Pequenas pinturas II, auroras, São Paulo, Brazil
2019
A hora instável, Galeria Bruno Múrias, Lisboa, Portugal
2017
Coleção MAC Niterói: arte contemporânea no Brasil, MAC Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
FORMASOBREFONDO, Proyectos Monclova, Mexico City, Mexico
A Bela e a Fera, Central Galeria, São Paulo, Brazil
Building Material: Process And Form In Brazilian Art, Hauser & Wirth, Los Angeles, USA
2016
Toda janela é um projétil, é um projeto, é uma paisagem, Sim Galeria, Curitiba, Brazil
The Many and the One: Brazilian Contemporary Art, Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo
2015
Paint.Specific, Grieder Contemporary, Zürich, Switzerland
Uma Coleção Particular – Arte Contemporânea No Acervo da Pinacoteca, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Deserto-Modelo, as above, so below, Herald ST, London, United Kingdom
Empty House Casa Vazia, Luhring Augustine, New York, USA
Casa 7, Pivô, São Paulo, Brazil
2014
Paintings on Paper, David Zwirner, New York, UUSA
Where Were You, Lisson Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Arbeit Und Freundschaft, Pivô, São Paulo, Brazil
2013
30 × Bienal – Transformations in Brazilian Art from the 1st to 30th Edition, Bienal Pavilion, São Paulo, Brazil
Betão a vista, Museu Brasileiro de escultura, São Paulo, Brazil
2012
Principios Flexor, Galeria Gramatura, São Paulo, Brazil
Coleção Dario Zito, Central Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
Alguns de Nós, Galeria Marília Razuk, São Paulo, Brazil
Muito além da Pintura, Galeria Transversal São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
2011
Nova escultura Brasileira, Caixa Cultural, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Chez Toi Artcontemporain Brasilien, 5, Place Du Marche Sainte-Catherine Marais, Paris, France
2008
MAM 60, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
2007
Coleção Itaú Contemporâneo, Centro Cultural Itaú, São Paulo, Brazil
80/90, Instituto Cultural Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo, Brazil
2006
//Paralela, São Paulo, Brazil
Projeto Parede Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Singular e Plural, Marília Razuk Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
2004
Onde Está Você Geração 80? Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
//Paralela, São Paulo, Brazil
2003
2080, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
2002
Tangenciando Amílcar, Espaço Cultural Santander, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Lucio Fontana: A Ótica do Invisível, Fundação Lucio Fontana, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, São Paulo, Brazil
10 Anos, Marília Razuk Galeria de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil
2001
O Espírito da Nossa Época, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil
Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
O Espelho Cego, coleção Marcantonio Villaça, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil
Lucio Fontana: A Ótica do Invisível, Fundação Lucio Fontana, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2000
Em Torno do Desenho, Centro Cultural Maria Antonia, São Paulo, Brazil
Brasil 500 Anos– Mostra do Redescobrimento, São Paulo, Brazil
Itinerante Brasil 500 Anos-Mostra do Redescobrimento, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal
1999
Galeria Casa da Imagem, Curitiba, Brazil
United Artits V – Viagem de Identidades, Casa das Rosas, São Paulo, Brazil
1997
V Bienal de Cuenca, Equador
La Galeria, Quito, Equador
1995
Arte Brasileira: confronto e contrastes, Pavilhão Internacional Octávio Cesário Pereira Júnior, Londrina, Brazil
1995
Entre o Desenho e a Escultura, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil
Anos 80 – O Palco da Diversidade, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro; Galeria do Sesi, São Paulo, Brazil
1994
Do Brasil, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, USA
Desenho Brasileiro Contemporâneo, Karmelieterklostel, Frankfurt, Germany
Bienal Brasil Século XX, Fundação Bienal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
22ª Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
1993
IV Bienal de Santos: Artes Visuais, Santos, Brazil
Brésil, Le soufle d’un pays Créatif, Studio Kostel, Paris, France
1990
13 Artistas, Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Prêmio Brasília de Artes Plásticas, Museu de Arte de Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
Panorama de Arte Atual Brasileira – Papel, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
1989
Brasil, La Nueva Generación, Fundação Museu de Belas Artes, Caracas, Venezuela
1988
10 Artistas, Rua Fortunato, São Paulo, Brazil
1987
Modernité, Musée d’Art Moderne de La Ville de Paris, France; Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
1986
II Bienal de Cuba, Havana, Cuba
1985–1986
VIII Salão Nacional de Artes Plásticas, Funarte, Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1985
Casa 7, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de São Paulo; Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
18ª Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
1984
II Salão Paulista de Arte Contemporânea, São Paulo, Brazil
Painéis, Paço das Artes, São Paulo, Brazil
1982
V Mostra Nacional de Gravura da Cidade de Curitiba, Curitiba, Brazil
Collections
Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Pinacoteca Municipal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Museu de Arte de Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
Biblioteca Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Museu de Arte Contemporânea, São Paulo, Brazil
Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Exhibitions
Curated by Daniel Steegmann Mangrané
Publications
Paulo Monteiro: the inside of distance
Paulo Monteiro 2015
Paulo Monteiro
Paulo Monteiro 2009
duzentas fantasias gráficas
Paulo Monteiro 2007
