Solo Projects
The program opens its doors to Brazilian artists once or twice a year, providing them with the chance to work on a project in Miami. We believe that this program will help artists to enrich their artistic practices and diversify what’s already a multicultural territory.
Andre Azevedo, 2023
We are thrilled to announce that Artist Andre Azevedo will be the 2024 Resident and recipient of the Solo Project.
The 2023 Jury and Curatorial team includes Ana Clara Silva, Jennifer Inácio, Rafael RG, Flavia Macuco, and Gene Moreno. The annual Open Call aims to attract artists who desire to enrich the arts with their practices and diversify what's already a multicultural territory: Miami and beyond.
Andre Azevedo's research with fabrics is part of his personal and familiar experience with this materiality. From this intimate connection, Azevedo began to understand textiles simultaneously as language, concept, and materiality, which allowed him numerous forms of interaction with the world. The starting point for realizing his works comes from the etymology of the word text and a recurring quotation among several authors: “Text means fabric and a line a thread of a linen fabric.”
He explores the plot structure within the universe of storytelling, using notions of “following the thread,” “backdrop,” and “knotless stitch,” among other figures of speech. The fabric is an opportunity to deal with the idea that things are entangled: they follow phenomena of repetition, transmit processes, and consequently revive images. Azevedo begins with the statement that fabric is a medium because it is in between – between men and the world, and between the world and all the things it coats –and, then, makes use of different malleable media, such as books, screens, video, and sound installations.
We want to thank all the artists who applied for this edition. We received beautiful projects, and we hope to work with you soon.
Rafael RG, 2022
We are thrilled to announce our next artist to attend the Solo Project 2022. Rafael RG will be in Miami from November until Miami Art Week. I hope you see you around.
Rafael RG (1986) Lives and works between Guarulhos and São Luís do Maranhão. He holds a degree in Visual Arts from Belas Artes de São Paulo. (PROUNI Scholarship - 2010).
He received, among other awards, the 1st Foco ArtRio Award, the Honor Award for Art and Heritage Merit/IPHAN, Centro cultural São Paulo Acquisition Award, Iberê Camargo Scholarship for residency at Künstlerhaus Bremen (Germany), Pampulha Scholarship for Residency at Arte da Pampulha (MG). Among his current residences, Gasworks in London (2018), Black Rock Senegal in Dakar (2019), Triangle France - Asterides in Marseile (2020), YBYTU (2021), and FAAP Artist Residency (2022), both in São Paulo.
In his artistic practice, RG usually brings two sources to constructing his works: one documentary and the other affective. Generally, through the use of documents mined in institutional or personal archives associated with narratives that may involve his person or an alter ego. The interaction between these territoriality results in works that almost always come close to fiction or a tense notion of fictionality.
Affective relationships, sexual gender, their political implications, and issues of racial identity have been her current areas of interest. These researches usually unfold in workshops, installations, performative texts, publications, and objects.
Supported in partnership with @garciafamilyfoundation
Nadia Taquary, 2019
The Solo Project "Orikí: Bowing to the Head” was exhibit last December in Miami. Nádia spent three weeks in a studio space provided by Bakehouse Art Complex working on the project, curated by Jennifer Inacio. During the time, she worked at the exhibition, hosted Talks and interviews. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
By using materials representative of both colonialism and African religions, Taquary investigates their inherent meanings and symbolism while exploring representations of freedom in an Afro-Atlantic historical context. ⠀⠀
Evoking both the beauty and symbolism of these ornate hairstyles, she celebrates African heritage by translating it into a contemporary language in her work, creating empowering and affirmative sculptures that conjure the necessity to bring forth dialogues on the African diaspora.
Curated by Jennifer Inacio in collaboration with Bakehouse Art Complex
Ivan Grilo, 2018
Escribe una carta de amor
The intervention project in Miami initially arises from the desire to take these works out of the context of the white cube, creating the possibility of public insertion. In addition to following, the initial studies to seek new possibilities of political and social discussion beyond the Brazilian territory, expanding and allowing borders to dissipate.
The phrases are written in Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian Creole and English to allow all communities to integrate with the project. The phrases come from a fictitious love letter, which can also be read as a political manifesto. Or the phrases arise from a fictitious political manifesto that can often be read as a love letter.
The plaques will be installed in 8 parts of Downtown Miami and the public / guests will be invited to walk to see the installation. Art Walks are an important part during the human experience as they are connected to the practice of thinking, creating of paths, and obtaining different perceptions. The idea is not to perform, but to create an experience.
Curated by Adriana Herrera, in collaboration with Mana Contemporary
