“The materials exist in connection with thoughts and intuitions. They call us, and choose us, they attract our perception and curiosity, and they require research and clever observations on their un-transferable nature and mysteries. They belong to the world and exist to be explored. The proximity to nature, experiencing large spaces, a farm childhood, and the observation of hills and valleys interiorize and codify the spatial, conceptual, material and physical relations that the artworks present. The experience within the natural environment of gardens and the sculptures inserted in these spaces began to bring me affirmations, understandings and reflections. I like to observe the development of moss on stone; the transformation of patina on bronze; the interweaving of plants on ceramics. A number of my works are inserted in nature; they belong to nature, they rest in and co-inhabit these spaces. It is a sort of vital drive and a primary need to move away from walls, streets, and museums. Since Antiquity, sculpture has had close links to natural materials, either in terms of their lasting conditions, symbolic relations, continuities, and temporalities.” — Solange Pessoa (extract from Solange Pessoa in conversation with Liz Munsell, published in Pessoa’s first monograph, 2018)

With the use of organic matter that can be found in her paintings as well as in her sculptures, there is a sense that Pessoa has allowed nature to take its course and ultimately take over her work. This is particularly felt in her sculptures, where there is an evident blurring of lines between art and nature, a confusion Pessoa relishes. These stones are not stones after all, but bronze sculptures with a green patina, which speak to the passing of time and the quiet coexistence with their surroundings. Often, public sculptures impose themselves on parks and urban spaces; in stark contrast, Pessoa articulates form, content, and context in subtle ways. Her shapes are familiar yet elusive—upon discovery, they shift from the known into a realm of strangeness. This strangeness connects to something fundamental, reaching toward the ancient and unconscious, evoking a sense of origin and wonder. Many of her works are conceived as integrations with nature, even when nature is not physically present, as the materials—bronze, stone, or ceramic—are accompanied by or evoke natural elements such as dry leaves, moss, or grass, embodying the green hues and textures of the environment itself.

This work was previously featured in the exhibitions:
(SOLO SHOW) In the Sun and the Shade, Solange Pessoa, 22 January – 23 May 2020