Rebento

In this painting, I reached an understanding of my movements and gestures with paint. I studied the work of “pixadores” (graffiti street artists) in Sao Paulo closely. Pixadores tag large walls on buildings, usually with black marks that require whole-body movements to create. I would initiate my paintings with these black marks. Then, I would find in the empty spaces created by my first marks shapes that I’d like to fill up with color. At the time, I was finishing all of my works with round glitter shapes that I felt connected me with Brazil’s carnival. In this work, in particular, I decided to draw a banana flower also to transpose me to Brazil. The title of the work references a song by Gilberto Gil. January 2017 was the last time I visited Brazil. That year, for immigration reasons, I knew it would take me long to go back. This anticipation marks this work.