Paulo Nimer Pjota, 'Paisagem de neve', 2023, Oil, tempera and acrylic on canvas, 210 x 160 cm.
During the recent weekend, New York witnessed the unveiling of Paulo Nimer Pjota's inaugural solo exhibition "Na Boca do Sol" (January 27 - March 2, 2024) at Mendes Wood DM, New York.
The exhibition, eloquently titled "Na Boca do Sol," refers to the eponymous 1972 Arthur Verocai song. The song's lyrics provide a personal narrative of the longing associated with growing up in a small town, offering a biographical reflection and introspection. This form of storytelling seeks to transcend the ordinary and capture the ineffable, highlighting a sense of sublime imagination within the viewer. This exhibition marks a significant milestone in the artist's career as he returns to depictions of home, family, and familiar memorabilia from his life in São José do Rio Preto, in the state of São Paulo.
The artist, Paulo Nimer Pjota (b. São José do Rio Preto, 1988), is a mixed media artist who lives and works in Brazil. Pjota holds a diverse educational background, including a bachelor's degree in Visual Arts, Art Criticism, and Misguided Painting. His most recent solo exhibitions include "Do Cômico e do Trágico," Mendes Wood DM, São Paulo (2023); "Every Empire Breaks Like a Vase," The Power Station, Dallas (2021); "Cenas de Casa," Caixa de Pandora, Ivani e Jorge Yunes Collection, São Paulo (2019); "Medley," Mendes Wood DM, São Paulo (2018); and "The History in Repeat Mode — Image," Mendes Wood DM, Brussels (2017) and "The History in Repeat Mode — Symbol," Maureen Paley / Morena di Luna, Hove (2017).
Pjota employs an unconventional approach by applying paint onto unstretched canvas and repurposed sheets of metal sourced from the streets of São Paulo. This technique results in textured and multilayered surfaces, which the artist arranges alongside sculptural objects, forming shrine-like assemblies. His creative oeuvre draws inspiration from diverse references, spanning ancient civilizations and myths to reflections on his upbringing in rural Brazil.
Known for his large-scale installations that intricately blend elements of painting, sculpture, and found materials, Pjota invites viewers into immersive and thought-provoking visual experiences. "Na Boca do Sol" particularly focuses on the juxtaposition of 17th-century Dutch/Flemish still lifes and Greek tragedy scenography. By combining these elements, the artist creates captivating, balanced compositions. In these compositions, we observe deliberate positioning of marks. The varying placements serve a purpose of either balance, weight distribution, or emotive intuition. There is tension between the freedom of choice, contrasted by meticulous placement. The artist's subject matter usually includes renderings of plants, vases, isolated words, cartoons, and historical characters.
Pjota intends for his works to be a starting point of discussion whereby the interpretation thereof is ever-changing, allowing for various streams of consciousness to take place. Therefore, meaning that the dialogue is constantly evolving alongside the work. I believe this to be one of the pinnacle points when determining an artwork's success; asking the question 1. Is the work relevant? 2. Will the work stay relevant, and why? Through the combination of art history and mass culture, the artist achieves exactly this; intertwining the past and present to create a timeless resonance that transcends fleeting trends.
A central theme to Pjota’s practice (and this exhibition) is Joseph Campbell's exploration of the monomyth, a common structure that many heroic tales share. This typically involves the hero's journey—venturing into the unknown, encountering moments of revelation and atonement, and ultimately returning to embark on a new cycle. This concept suggests that there is a universal, underlying pattern in the human experience reflected in myths and stories across different cultures and historical periods. Pjota delves into aspects ingrained in memory that are often overlooked in official history, focusing on the inefficiency of hierarchical knowledge that segregates elite and popular cultural expressions.
On this topic, the artist states:
“I draw on the relationship between mundane objects and objects that are completely institutionalized. I am very interested in making it all uneven, with no present hierarchy.” – Paulo Nimer Pjota
Paula Nimer Pjota, 'Vaso de morcego', 2023, Acrylic, oil and tempera on canvas, 210 x 160 cm.
A defining aspect of Pjota's work is the delicacy in layering, achieved by the weightless subtleties of line contrasted by bold color choice, evoking an almost ephemeral viewing experience. It is apparent through the use of tempera and gestural mark making that the artist pays homage to Cy Twombly, demonstrating a profound appreciation for Twombly's expressive and spontaneous style while incorporating personal elements of his own practice. The works invite you in to gently explore their landscape. Pjota blends the concept of foreground and background, allowing the subjects to float weight-free across the pictorial plane. The effect of this? Relief. Relief for your mind to wander and explore, free from predetermined parameters or structures. A feeling of ease approaches the spectator, as focus is then pulled towards the beautiful intricacies of detail. As your gaze lingers, you become immersed in a contemplative journey, uncovering layers of meaning.
Detailed images of larger works.
As Pjota's artistic journey continues to unfold, he successfully leaves an indelible mark on the intersection of past and present within the realm of contemporary art. The show was warmly received by critics and the public alike, with a general consensus that the artist's ability to create a rich visual narrative while maintaining captivating compositions is one of the artist's greatest strengths.
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