a r o b i e k e Tomiwa leverages the internet to sharpen his knowledge and techniques on how to improve his craft. With the use of acrylics on canvas, he creates stunning works that reflect what he sees around him and how humans relate. L Arobieke Tomiwa was born on August 6th, 1999. He is an indigene of Ogun State and is a visual artist based in Ibadan City, Nigeria. Arobieke's work is based on the use of acrylics, in which impressive figures reflect the culture and environment of Ibadan. Brushstrokes emphasize texture, portraying the richness of black skin against vibrant colors with the contrasting landscape. | 4 9 24 25
M U L T I D I S C I P L I N A R Y A R T I S T LILIA LUJÁ N Lilia L uj á n is a s elft a u g h t a n d a wa rd - win nin g m ultidis ciplin a ry M exic a n a rtis t, a c tive in t h e pla s tic a rts sin c e 1 9 9 5. Specializing in p ain tin g, alternative sculpture, minimalistmurals, thematic series of social art, graphics, and illustration, shehas directed25 thematic murals andparticipated inmore than 400 national and international exhibitions. Her work is a cathartic exercise in whichshe attempts to combine all elements inharmony andbalance.With publishedcontemporary artbooks andeditorial presence worldwide, Lilia's editorial and exhibition-awarded career stands outin Mexico, Finland, India, Spain, China, Russia, Macedonia, Greece, Italy, USA, Israel, andFrance. - 5 0 - 2 6
GABRIELA GONZÁLEZ Gabriela González Leal is a Mexican artist, born in 1981. She graduated from the prestigious National School of Painting, Sculpture, and Engraving “La Esmeralda.” Currently, she's part of international projects Banknote Art Concept in Australia and Money For Nothing in France. Utilizing text, calligraphy, and demonetized banknotes, she explores collective memory, the notion of play, and childhood. Gabriela was nominated for the 12th Internationale Senefelder Lithography Award 2020 in Germany and the III Engraving Contest "Alfara" 2018 in Spain. Her work has been exhibited in Mexico, Serbia, Argentina, Germany, USA, Uruguay, Spain, Cuba, and England. It is also a part of prominent collections such as the Bank of Mexico, Zuckerman Museum in Florida, and El Peñol Historical Museum in Colombia. “My current body of work explores different media and materials such as soccer balls, coins, bullets, clothing, Japanese paper, demonetized banknotes, etc. (…) I use objects-actions that have the same symbolic meaning as the Game, Value and Power.” (Gabriela González Leal) | 5 1 27 28
Fabián Caro Román was born in Santiago, Chile. His work is characterized by the theme of dreams and the unconscious, where the human body appears "en vigor" (in force) with metaphysical and magical expressions. He focuses on surrealist modeling of the female body. He has exhibited in Chile, Spain, Europe, Canada, USA, and Mexico. f a b i á n car o r o má n | 5 2 29 30
I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. Michelangelo
" M Y G O A L I S T O H O P E F U L L Y C O N V E Y E N E R G Y T H R O U G H C O L O R S M A K I N G T H I S M Y H U M B L E C O N T R I B U T I O N T O W A R D S G R A C E A N D P E A C E . " GULNAR S A C O O R | 5 4
www.saorafaelgalleries.com | 55 Born in Mozambique and living in Portugal since 1974, Gulnar Sacoor is a self-taught artist since 1984. She dedicated herself entirely to her passion - painting - from 2000 onwards as a way of being in life. Since then, she has trained in painting, drawing and Art History at the National Society of Fine Arts, UL Faculty of Fine Arts, CCB, Dojo Zen Lisbon, among others. In the process of her evolution, marked by a strong multicultural background that encompasses Western, African and Indian cultures, she has used several techniques, focusing currently on the use of acrylics, mixed techniques, and collages. She is a member of the National Society of Fine Arts, and her career includes numerous individual and collective exhibitions with special recognition in Portugal and Dubai. Interpreted as a fusion between Mondrian and Rothko, her work highlights the myriad of colors and the realistic imagery of minimalist shapes and infinite landscapes, between mystery and spirituality. The artist is also represented in public collections in Portugal and abroad, namely in the Presidency of the Republic of Portugal, Presidency of Mozambique, Portuguese Ministry of Culture, Lisbon City Council, Lisbon Metropolitan, and in private collections in Portugal, the USA, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, and S. Tomé and Principe. “I love to play with colors. They have the ability to trigger our emotions, to affect the way we think, act and influence our attitudes. I paint according with my states of mind. It is in art that I search peace and lightness of spirit." GULNAR SACOOR 31 32
UNLOCKING THE DIVINE WITHIN: PAGE 56 INTERVIEW OPINIION Can you tell us a little about your multicultural background and how it has influenced your art? My forefathers, originally from India, migrated to Africa in the late 1800’s. My parents were the first generation (1920) born in Mozambique, then a Portuguese Colony. I was born in Mozambique. My upbringing and education were under the influence of Portuguese colonialism. Since 1974 living in Portugal, I consider myself as having a cocktail of “African /Indian/ Portuguese” cultural background together with Islamic influence, while living in a country steeped in a more Judaic-Christian tradition since the last milennia. How is your art influenced by your search for inner peace and lightness of spirit? The Indian side of my background, being known as a spiritual one, is very present in me. Of Muslim Faith, as Shia Ismaili that has an esoteric interpretation of the faith, reinforced my spirituality. During my lifetime I have been very much inclined towards meditation, reflection, spiritual quest through books that have allowed me to grow, to be conscious of my higher self. Painting was really a way that greatly helped me to consolidate Inner Peace and Lightness of Spirit naturally. Is there a specific spiritual philosophy or doctrine that informs your art? Spirituality is Universal. The saying “Know thyself, and thou shalt know God” by Imam Ali is very deep in me. It inspires me to major themes guiding my work in order to contribute to whoever engages with my paintings. It is something that easily comes to me, in-between pauses of each theme along the years. I find myself surprised and amazed to see the themes that followed since the beginning. Almost through pure Intuition and Impulse. GULNAR SACOOR DISCUSSES HOW ART CAN ELEVATE THE SOUL
PAGE 57 INTERVIEW OPINIION Do you believe that art has the power to heal or uplift the spirit? If so, how do you think your art can contribute to this? Indeed yes, I have experienced it personally. Nature is colourful, boldly colourful! See the birds, marine flora, butterflies, flowers, sunrise, sunset, the four seasons of the year… My Indian and African background enhanced and facilitated the use of colours in my artworks. Colour, as everything in Nature, it has an energy vibration that influences the environment immediately. Through my artworks, I hope to contribute to irradiate the high vibration energy of colours, wherever they are placed. What is the role of art in our spiritual journey? How do you see your art contributing to this journey? The role of Art – painting, writing, music, dance – is to move and touch every human soul searching for Peace, Happiness, and Connection to the Higher Self. Art has the power to evoke emotions and inspire introspection, to be a bridge between the mundane and the transcendent, offering glimpses of the divine and to explore the depths of our own spirituality. I can only hope my art can convey or provide others such moments and feelings, through the themes present in each series. More context and insight on what inspired and connects each series can be gained from texts and quotes that accompany each series. How has your artwork evolved over the years? It is not up to me to evaluate that; I leave it for the public and professionals to do so. All I know is that, through art, ”I” evolved and accomplished self-realization. I feel happy, content and at Peace. It gave me all I needed to be a better person, on the whole. My paintings reflect that Peace and Tranquillity, and people very frequently comment during exhibitions. I hope to touch others in the same manner. 33
PAGE 58 INTERVIEW OPINIION How do you see your work contributing to the world during these tumultuous times? These are very blurry, grey, and dark times. Current art partly reflects that. My way to contribute is to highlight and underline humanistic values through themes, to bring Light and Clarity. They are open to interpretation and should speak for themselves. It also depends on how art curators, other art professionals, and collectors say, feel and understand when looking at them retrospectively. Only time will tell. How does the theme of spirituality relate to the choice of elements present in your artworks, such as colours and shapes? In painting, one needs to be in solitude and silence. Music, books, photography, other arts influence and inspire me. The themes I explore, themselves, inspire – Oneness, Colours of My World, UrInIt - are deep and present in my thoughts and allow colours and forms to come up naturally. The inspiration flows. In what ways do you envision your art evolving in the future? Will spirituality remain a key element in your work, or do you see your focus shifting towards other themes or motifs? I believe Spirituality will always be present. Currently, my focus is shifting towards other techniques such as drawing. I have been looking at it for quite some time. Forms in “chiaroscuro” with charcoal are very appealing to me. I have been collecting/compiling images that inspire me to further explore when I’m ready. 34
E L E V A T E Y O U R S E N S E S W I T H A P R E M I U M V I R T U A L R E A L I T Y A R T E X P E R I E N C E W H E R E E V E R Y D E T A I L I S B R O U G H T T O L I F E I N S T U N N I N G R E A L I S M . Get more information on the QR code.
HOSSAM DIRAR Egypti an multidi s c ipl ina r y a rti s t T H E I M P R E S S I O N I S M / E X P R E S S I O N I S M O F Hossam Dirar is an Egyptian multidisciplinary artist. He obtained a BA in Graphic Design from the Faculty of Applied Arts at Helwan University in Cairo and an MA in Sound Art from the University of Barcelona. Following the Egyptian Revolution in 2011, Dirar produced his first paintings and began traveling around Europe, gathering inspiration from various galleries and museums. His cultural uncertainty pushed him to delve into the world of Ancient Egyptian history in search of a cultural identity he can relate to and call his own. In this search, he discovered his interest in women’s rights and the beauty in the contrast of cultures in terms of beliefs, liberty and openmindedness. In Ancient Egyptian society, Dirar discovered a magnitude of symbols, stories and myths with relevance to our modern world. As he developed his style, he began creating impressionist and abstract expressionist artworks. Today, his paintings can be seen as a graceful combination of both impressionism and abstract expressionism. | 6 0 35 36 37
SHELINA KHIMJI Shelina Khimji is an award-winning Tanzanian-born artist. A self-taught artist drawn to art since her childhood, the colour and impressionism is her powerful symbolism as it reflects her happy persona and her ideal world imagery. She believes art has allowed her to dip her brush into her soul and paint away her fantasies. She tries to capture her fantasies, a memory, a thought, a longing, the glimpse of the world through rose-tinted glasses. One of Shelina's signature techniques is to create a misty effect in her paintings that evokes nostalgia and romance. She enjoys depicting old and ancient subjects, underprivileged people, and narrow streets. Over the course of her decade-long career, Shelina has garnered international attention; she was featured on CNN Style for her lockdown artwork submitted to a Dubai-based art studio, exhibited at World Art Dubai as the only Tanzanian artist, and was selected as the female Tanzanian ambassador to participate in an exhibition titled Art Connects Women in Dubai. She has also been a mentor and award-winner at local community art events, and her sketchbook has taken her to the USA and Canada as part of the Sketchbook Project. João Freire (J. Freire) was born in 1959 in Benguela, Angola. He graduated in Visual and Technological Arts, and since 1978 has developed a career in fine art with an emphasis on his watercolor works, through which he tries to express the bonds that unite mother and child from the birth of this being, who is the fruit of their love, as well as the feelings that unite father and son. He has been awarded several times and exhibits regularly, having held individual and collective exhibitions in Gouveia, Manteigas, Vila do Conde, Viana do Castelo, Bragança, Torres Novas, Torre de Moncorvo, Sabrosa, Porto, Vila Real, Vimioso, Figueira da Foz, Salamanca, Lisbon, and Peso da Régua. JOÃO FREIRE | 6 1 38 39
“ I WANT TO DIE WITH MY BLUE JEANS ON. ” Andy Warhol PAGE 62
S C A N M E T O D I S C O V E R M O R E . An artistic, ethical & eco- friendly fashion line. PAGE 59 ARTWEAR PAGE 63 ARTWEAR
Y O U R B O D Y I S Y O U R M U S E U M . This is the headline of Emporio Aragão artwear. The Emporio Aragão combines fashion, sustainability, and art, promoting an irreverent and cultured lifestyle. All pieces are tailor-made masterpieces commercialized in limited editions, which makes each piece exclusive and a unique artistic vision. It is an artistic, ethical, and eco-friendly fashion line, created with ethically sourced materials, using packaging made from recycled plastic. The entire collection features high-quality, limited-edition designs, as expected in an artistic, eclectic, "out-of-the-box" line.
AN IRREVERENT AND SELECTED CULTURED LIFESTYLE. W E A R A B L E A R T EMPÓRIO ARAGÃO X ASHIMA KUMAR With architectural lines exalting the "everything not lost yet" series motif, the Empório Aragão x Ashima Kumar pieces are the result of Kumar's handdrawing excellence and the brand's vision. The pieces have surfaces that are both soft, being made of 100% cotton, and strongly textured, thanks to the effect of pure natural fibers. They evoke a unique fusion of a deep connection with nature and a profound exploration of spirituality. Drawing inspiration from traditionalfolk-artforms and natural patterns by Ashima Kumar, Empório Aragão transforms the nature motif into a precious ornament, enhancing the structured blazers and other pieces in the collection, including coats, pants, and sneakers. They are unique visions bearing the richness of tradition with the versatility of modern technology. The collection offers a range of shades, from blue and pearlto yellow and light purple. | P A G E 6 5
LIMITED EDITION 1 0 0 % N A T U R A L F I B E R S E X C L U S I V E A R T W E A R
SUSTAINABLE. E M P Ó R I O A R A G Ã O X M A R I N A E M P H IETZI Printed, cut, and hand-made, the Marina Emphietzi x Empório Aragão pieces draw inspiration from natural marine landscapes with a vivid color palette, many coral textures, and the robust energy of the waves. We highlight the Cropped Windbreaker. Made of lightweight, water-resistant fabric, and with a playful style primarily inspired by the sea, this is the masterpiece of a collaboration between the artist Maria Emphietzi and Empório Aragão. Fully lined and with elastic cuffs, it's a must-have for contemporary art lovers. | P A G E 6 7
LIMITED EDITION. E M P Ó R I O A R A G Ã O X SÍ L V I A R A P O S O Prepare to be tantalized by a mesmerizing pattern inspired by the idyllic landscapes of Mexican hunting, artfully crafted by the artist Silvia Raposo in tandem with the pinnacle of AI technology. Meticulously handmade, the Empório Aragão x Sílvia Raposo capsule is full of intricate details deftly imbued within the brushstrokes, and subtle spots lend an enigmatic and figurative quality to each piece. An epitome of style and substance. | P A G E 6 8
UNEXPECTED SHAPES INSPIRED BY FINE ARTS. EMPÓRIO ARAGÃO X CATARINA DIAZ W E A R A B L E A R T Passionate about the exotic and vibrant chromatics of the west coast of Southern Africa, the themes explored by Catarina Diaz include a return to nature through a unique journey inhabited by exotic animals, vibrant, peaceful colors, and sensuous female figures that metamorphose in front of our eyes. This emblematic collaboration materialized in a flutter sleeves top, made of soft chiffon fabric with a ruffle collar and button keyhole closure. It features the work "Bold", a symbol of ascension and serenity, with its extremely fine details. | P A G E 6 9
A N A L O G U E C O L L A G E A N D O I L - S T I C K S CATARINA D I A Z | 7 0
"Believing that perfection exists, that the universe is perfect, and that the sun rises and sets every day, this collage by Catarina Diaz borders on perfection. Its motif is the profile of a space-age fashion woman, taken from an old English Vogue, who seems to emerge from the petals of a white flower to kiss, as if she were a child, the calyx and leaves of another family of flowers. These are strategically placed on the upper diagonal of the work, visually connecting and contaminating all the elements of this composition: the feline, the woman, and the hummingbirds. This work is light, fun, and fresh because it tells us about the flow of the universe and how we are all interconnected." The cosmopolitan life of London also became a source of daily inspiration for Catarina Diaz's works. Her genius through analog collage and oil sticks turned her into an up-and-coming international artist. She participates in several solo and group exhibitions in Madrid, Milan, London, Paris, San Francisco, the Canary Islands, Abu Dhabi, Brussels, Portugal, New York, and Fuerteventura. The artist was recently awarded the Collector's Vision International Art Award for outstanding achievements and potential and was distinguished for her Artistic Merit by the Luxembourg Art Prize. Catarina Diaz was born in Benguela in 1969. At the age of 5, she moved to Portugal, and she's currently living in London, but brought with her the vibrant chromaticism of the African sunset, the flamingos, and the bougainvillea that marked her imagination and her creations. | 7 1 40 41
FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL: PAGE 72 INTERVIEW OPINIION How did you first get involved with NFTs? NFTs and Crypto art are one of the ways I convey my art, but more than being willing to reach a wider audience and exploring new possibilities in digital art, I believe this is an excellent opportunity for artists to become more experimental. I launched my first collection last March with Voice H.Q. in New York, in collaboration with the London Artist Work Space, for their digital exhibition, but I have been exhibiting my animated and still pieces in digital, immersive and V.R. exhibitions for a few years. The W1 Curates, in London, in 2021, the Art Expo in New York in 2022, the Manhattan Music exhibition by the composer Margin Alexander in 2022 and the Times Square digital exhibitions with Artist Talk Magazine in 2022 and 2023 were some of the most significant events I participated in with my work. I have equally been represented by my galleries, São Rafael Galleries and MADS Art Gallery in Lisbon, Milan, Fuerteventura, Barcelona (Casa Mila), Rome, and the multiverse. The Flux and The Artist Workspace in London and New York and HongLee Curators in Paris. I am now releasing all my work as NFTs and physical artworks. However, the concept behind my animated pieces is rooted in my previous analogue work. I plan to continue organically exploring the complexities and dualities of the human experience, while celebrating the search for inner beauty in my minimalist collages. Furthermore, my artistic process is now enriched by collaborating with other creatives, film producers, and music producers. This synergy results in an ethereal type of animation, free from musical and film conventions. The soundscapes and movement that accompany these pieces AN INTERVIEW WITH CATARINA DIAZ ON NFTS AND CREATIVE INNOVATION
PAGE 73 INTERVIEW OPINIION focus on providing spacial and emotional references to the listener, providing more proximity to the artwork in a carefully crafted stereo environment. These environments are deepened with the sounds of nature, cultural motifs and esoteric acoustic techniques such as utilising 'Verdi's A', a technique that uses the tuning of 432Hz, a frequency theorised to be mathematically consistent with the universe, to instil calm and peace within the listener. What do you think about the potential of NFTs for artists and the art world as a whole? I am excited to learn more about their potential impact on the art world and the opportunities they could create for artists. Any technology that gives artists more control over their work and more significant monetisation opportunities can be a positive development for the art world. How do you incorporate technology and digital media into your artistic process? Collaboration has always been an essential part of my creative process. I have worked with other artists, designers, and musicians on several projects, and these collaborations bring new perspectives and a new synergy to my work. I am also expanding my studio, supported by my talented image, video and audio production team, my NFTS negotiator and my mentor/ curator. What do you think are the biggest challenges artists face in the NFT space? In the NFT space, artists face significant challenges, such as the technical barrier of understanding the blockchain, concerns about environmental sustainability, marketplace saturation, and the need for validation. Despite these hurdles, artists can navigate by embracing user-friendly platforms, exploring greener alternatives, leveraging social media, and finding innovative ways to authenticate their work. It's an exciting time to be an artist in the NFT space, with opportunities for selfexpression and financial sustainability. How does your background in analogue collage and mixed techniques inform your approach to creating NFT artworks?
PAGE 74 INTERVIEW OPINIION My collages are conceived to capture inner beauty and inspire viewers to search for deeper meaning. I use a minimalist analogue approach to create my pieces, allowing me to create complex works simultaneously, resulting in exciting video and audio animation possibilities. I love creating thematic series, always using a vibrant colour palette, all meaningfully brought together by my admiration for the feminine figure in search of my identity and the healing wild nature motifs that enable this reconnection with the self. My works express, thus, contemplation and a return to memories of more serene times as the start of a self-healing journey. It starts with my love of mixing various media, such as oil sticks and acrylics on paper and canvas, combining them with analogue collage. The originals I exhibit and sell to art collectors are analogue collages of fine art Giclée. Somerset Velvet paper, whose lush texture enables me to mix different mediums such as oil bars, acrylics, pigment ink, gold leaf and resin on gesso primed canvas. I also love the contrast created by the restored antique frames used on my bold pieces. As I cherish exploring new techniques and materials on my originals, I'll soon release a new collection with distinctive features that have always been part of my artistic identity but will now require a newly enriched uniqueness. This sophistication in exploring new techniques and unique artistic identity is now excitingly reflected in my NFTS. As mentioned, my collaboration with other creatives is bringing my concept to life in extraordinary ways through the animation of my works. 42
PAGE 75 INTERVIEW OPINIION When creating my animated artworks, such as my work ' Faith,' I delve into a process of deconstruction to explore the deeper meaning of the human condition. Through animation, I use movement and fluidity in the artwork, adding a dynamic element that enhances the viewer's perception and engagement. This brings a fresh perspective to the piece, allowing it to evolve beyond the static nature of traditional painting. In contrast, I draw inspiration from audio and music for artworks like 'Resilience in Bloom' [page 63], incorporating elements of cultural identity and movement. When animating the work, I can convey a different dynamic and rhythm, capturing the essence of the viewer's perception and evoking a more immersive experience. This fusion of visual and auditory elements offers my unique storytelling. The futuristic series I am currently creating explores different perspectives with time, revealing the evolution from static to animated works. This reflection on the past allows me to preview the constellations of future works. I can reveal new layers of meaning and possibilities by exploring animation and motion, unveiling a captivating narrative within each piece. How do you see your work evolving in the future, particularly in relation to digital art and NFTs? Currently, I'm working on various projects with São Rafael Galleries and other galleries in London, New York, Paris and Lisbon, as well as with other artists, designers, filmmakers, and composers, such as Angel London, Naeem Mahmood, and Pedro Janela. Can you describe the process of creating your animated motion artworks? How does this process compare to creating traditional static pieces? By being enriched by video and audio animation, the analogue process reaches a new elevated meaning. 43
PAGE 76 INTERVIEW OPINIION I'm excited to continue collaborating with them and expand my reach globally in future ventures. What role do you believe art plays in society, and how do you hope your work contributes to that? My visual language aims to envelop the senses slowly, calling them in subtle but exquisite ways. Over the years, it has evolved to reflect my artistic purpose and the inspiration I draw from my surroundings and inner journey, representing my reflection on life, epiphanies, insights, acceptance of darkness, search for light and bliss, and my aspirations. I want to inspire others to undertake their ever-evolving inner journey, always reinviting themselves and discovering their true identity and essence. By inviting viewers to contemplate and encouraging them to embrace their unique perspectives, my work fosters a sense of connection to something greater than oneself. Each piece is a reminder that, despite the chaos and uncertainty of life, there is beauty to be found in every moment and that the journey of selfdiscovery is one of healing and growth. I hope the public takes away from my work a sense of reconnection with nature and themselves and a renewed appreciation for feminine empowerment and identity. I want my art to inspire people to look deeper, to find that rare centre inside themselves that allows them to embrace beauty freely in all its forms. 44
MARINA EMPHIETZI Marina Emphietzi was born in Famagusta, Cyprus, and lives in London. A popular international contemporary artist, her passion for art started early. Marina’s work explores issues of time, life, and memory and has been described as "a reflection and celebration of life and the human spirit." With influences as diverse as Greek mythology and J.M.W. Turner, she creates paintings with a vivid color palette, many textures, robust energy, and a playful style mostly inspired by the sea. Her work is characterized by strong tonal variations and constantly challenges her own talent by trying to experiment with subject matters and techniques for new creative effects. | 7 7 45
L I L L Y HELJA-JONASSON Lilly Helja Jonasson was borninWalsrode, Germany in1983. She graduatedin Architecture fromthe University of AppliedSciences and Arts, andsince 2010, shehas been working as anartist andarchitect witha focus ongeometric abstractionism. She stands out forher technique called"splittografielage," whichis basedonthe fragmentationof authorphotography into geometric shapes, withthe aimof creating anew art objectthroughcollage. Inher artisticpath,the exhibition"Memory to Future"(2020) andthe Muse Inspirationweek (2018) at Hasselbring in Hannover standout. She is also amember of the artistic initiative "Four BluePassion," anexhibition eventthat brings together several arts in Hannover, Germany. | 7 8 46
"My paintings are abstract and my interpretation of abstract art is geometric abstraction in the use of geometric elements, such as asymmetrical triangles and rectangles, in the form of photosplitter." (Lilly Helja-Jonasson) | 7 9 47
SEEING BEYOND THE SURFACE: EXPLORING THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF 3D HOLOGRAPHY IN ART I N TE R VIEW T O S Í LVI A R A P O S O & M Ó N IC A K A H L O Salvador Dalí, the iconic surrealist painter of the 20th century, was known for his vivid imagination and unbounded creativity. Yet even he couldn't help but be awed by the potential of holography, which he once famously declared as his "second option for immortality." With a single atom of holographic emulsion, Dalí saw the opportunity to capture an entire threedimensional image, including the beloved figures of his life like his wife Gala and pet squirrel Belka. He envisioned a world where information in a holographic form could be ingested and digested by humans, giving them a shot at eternal life. While Dalí's ideas may have seemed fanciful at the time, they now serve as a testament to the visionary nature of art. The potential of 3D holography within the realm of art is immeasurable, encircling the very senses to engage and ensnare the imagination. The very fiber of a hologram is malleable allowing for dynamic sculptures that mirror the viewer's movements, thus creating a portal to another dimension in which the rules of physics and geometry are deviant. The use of lighting and acoustics gives forth a canvas of endless possibilities in which textures, patterns, and rhythms merge to create a harmonious embellishment to our heightened state of being. Behold, the arrival of 3D holographic technology! The emergence of 3D holographic technology has been hailed as a game-changer for the world of art and beyond. Unlike traditional 2D displays, a 3D hologram creates a threedimensional image that appears to float in space and can be viewed from multiple angles without the need for special glasses or equipment. Laser beams penetrate the object's interference pattern, assimilating its attributes to create the hologram's illusion. PAGE 80 ART REVIEW ARTICLE
There exists versatility and scalability beyond what our canvas ever afforded us. Regardless of the expanse of the venue, a hologram can be carefully tailored to fit the architectural set up. Photographs of past works of art now become feasible to reproduce and circulate at an unprecedented level with no loss to quality or impact. Other technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and augmented reality used in tandem with holography give rise to more complex and meaningful experiences. However, the adoption of 3D holography in art also poses some challenges and questions. For example, how can we ensure the authenticity and originality of a holographic artwork in the age of digital reproduction and manipulation? How can we address the environmental and ethical implications of producing and consuming holograms, such as the use of rare materials or the impact on human perception and behavior? How can we balance the novelty and excitement of holography with the respect for traditional art practices and values? Nevertheless, 3D holography holds great promise as a new medium and form of art. It can be both a tool and a subject of artistic creation, inspiring new forms of expression and reflection. It can also foster crossdisciplinary collaborations and dialogues, as well as engage diverse communities and audiences. As such, a 3D hologram can be not only a work of art but also a catalyst for social and cultural change. INTERVIEW> How didthis interest inholography arise and whydidyoudecide to startusingit inthe worldof art? Actually, ourinterest in holography started a few years ago, maybe around 2018/19, when we were planning a visual and immersive show about the Catalan painter Salvador Dalí, who was fascinated by holography and stereoscopy, and who was even the first artist to apply holography to visual arts. We wanted to recreate the famous photograph Dalí Atomicus in hologram, so we thought about using a holographic curtain, but then we thought it would be a less interesting type of projection, so we started exploring this technology technically. Iremember Monica getting a transparent film and putting it in a triangular shape on an android to recreate a very basic hologram. We got a small prism that reflected the photograph on the phone, PAGE 81 ART REVIEW ARTICLE
creating a three-dimensional effect very similar to a real hologram. We started with a small prism, then scaled up and to our surprise it worked. But it was a project that caught the pandemic at the time and the paralysis of cultural activities in our country and ended up being put on hold. When we started working on virtualreality, we knew we wanted to recover that experimentation and then we thought about a larger and more impactful technology that could have a relevant impact on the world of art and at the same time translate what art can be in a future that is increasingly technological, a future of virtual worlds, avatars, NFTs, and so on. How do youapproachart curationfor a 3D hologrampresentation? Whetherfor 3D hologram or other technological display, we try to convey the experience of the beautiful or the ugly, depending on the intended visual concept, which in some cases will be about balance, symmetry, harmony, and proportionality, and in others may intentionally be disruptive. We aim for the final experience to be enjoyable to the sight, hearing, and spirit. What are theunique challenges and opportunities thatholographic art curation presents? I think more than curation, ourfirst concern is to understand the artist's motivation in creating orreproducing a work for hologram. Perhaps the biggest challenge is to translate a work from a physical medium to hologram in a way that doesn't lose its essence or devirtualize the artist's concept. There is an adaptation and recreation process in which we also have to take into account the technical challenges and specific limitations of this technology, which, for example, prevents us from using pure black color. Of course, it also allows us to have a range of colors that cannot be produced by a palette but through optical mixing, something that, although more traditional, the pointillist movement sublimely developed. We cannot forget that we are talking about works of a movement that to be appreciated as conceptualized by the artists could only be seen and understood from a distance of over two meters. Here, in holography or Holobox, as we like to call the project, there is a great deal of care put into color, light, intensification, contrast, as sometimes it is necessary to make some modifications to the original color, then there's the influence of natural light or artificial light in the space where the hologram is placed. These are the challenges. In terms of opportunities, it undoubtedly offers a whole new possibility of display and interaction that was not previously available and significantly contributes to minimizing the risks and costs PAGE 82 ART REVIEW ARTICLE
of traditional exhibition processes, democratizing it. How do youseeholographic art impacting the worldof contemporary art andmuseum exhibitions? Holographic art can offer a new dimension to contemporary art and provide a more immersive and engaging experience for viewers. It also allows for more experimental works and can challenge traditional exhibition methods. What impactdo youthinkholographic art willhave oncollectors andthe artmarket? Actually, we believe that, although it may be PAGE 83 ART REVIEW ARTICLE difficult to recognize it alongside more traditional forms of art, holographic art can become a new collectible medium in itself. Of course, this is still a largely unexplored area, but increasingly, it is a more present aspiration, especially since today, with the NFT market, the world of art has undergone a revolution. So, I believe that holographic art will be just another piece to be played on the chessboard of the contemporary art market and will open up a whole range of possibilities, from commercializing the hologram display as a work of art to selling holographic works as collectibles or even within the NFT market and so on. How do youbalance technology andart in holographic exhibitions?
Our goal is to ensure that the reproduction of works within holography is as faithful as possible to the originals, functioning as an extension of the work itself, maintaining its authenticity. Artists usually like to explore animations and 3D motion in this type of support and we believe that this complements the final work, which ends up being an integration between the holographic medium, artistic original, and motion design. This creates a strategy to create a visual hierarchy of artistic elements that organizes and projects them in a more understandable and possibly accessible way,regardless of age, social status, literacy, etc. How do youensure the authenticity and accuracy ofholographic artworks? We always work closely with the artists, have authenticity certificates, and contracts that ensure the legitimacy of the work. In terms of accuracy, we resort to high-quality scanning and enhancement techniques, image and video editing to ensure that the version represents the original artwork or the concept that the artist intends to convey. And, of course, this is a very difficult medium to reproduce, it is a unique copy stored within the holographic device itself, with a highly secure final file with its own encrypted format, which is only read on the device and to which PAGE 84 ART REVIEW ARTICLE even the artists themselves do not have access. Of course, the artists have access to all of their original materials and final versions of the work, but the display file itself is highly protected, even to prevent unauthorized copying or alteration. This is a way of protecting the work as well as the reputation of the gallery and artists in the market. How do you think holographic art will evolve in the future? Increasingly, the world of art is moving towards interdisciplinary crossovers, so we believe that the future indeed lies in the direction that we ourselves are taking, which is combining holography with other technological forms such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, so this will be an increasingly complex world. We believe that our mission as human beings should be to invest in mixed reality and guide technology ourselves rather than letting technology guide us. I think the beauty of the future lies in the balance between traditional mediums and technology.
ARTBOX VR: THE GALLERY REIMAGINED - ENTER A WORLD BEYOND THE FRAME Recently, galleries and artists are involved in multisensory projects that cross 3D modeling, sound, two-dimensional images, and animation associated with artworks.But what is virtual reality? Virtual reality has as its main characteristic the sensation of immersion and resorts to an interface that promotes access to applications executed by the computer or similar through multisensory devices. This characteristic is possible thanks to the existence of 3D virtual environments that provide sensations that these spaces are being visited in real-time. The greater the hyperrealism in these virtual worlds, as well as their visualization capacity and speed of feedback by the technological devices used, the greater the sensation of immersion. Virtual reality glasses allow you to detect changes in user behavior, such as head position, gaze F E A T U R E S T O R position, movement, height, etc. But what Y does this have to do with the art world? The virtual reality experience in a fully threedimensional virtual gallery environment makes it possible for us to become part of its context as active agents capable of performing actions that allow interaction with the artworks and total immersion in space. Using interfaces for interaction with the artworks, such as the hand controls that appear as an extension of the human body that promotes the artist/spectator's approach to the technological and artistic domain, as well as allowing the direct purchase of artworks during the experience, a new way of experiencing the art world has emerged. | 8 5
With the ability to create fully immersive three-dimensional worlds, artists can bring new dimensions to their works previously impossible to achieve. This presents a unique opportunity for artists to explore and express themselves in new and innovative ways. The future of virtual reality in art is exciting and unpredictable in equal measure. With advances in technology, we can expect virtual reality experiences to become more sophisticated and realistic, offering ever-greater levels of immersion. Developments in AI and machine learning will also likely play a role, providing new opportunities for artists to expand the boundaries of interactivity and engagement in their works. In terms of the impact of virtual reality on the art world, the potential is vast. Virtual reality has the power to democratize art by providing greater accessibility for audiences around the globe. It also creates opportunities for new and diverse forms of art that can be created and appreciated in real-time and in 3D from remote locations. Overall, virtual reality promises to be a vanguard in the art world, providing artists with a new set of tools and audiences with a fresh perspective on the creative process. With this in mind, it is an exciting time to be involved in this rapidly evolving field. Through the Artbox VR project, we can see the potential for VR technology to transform the way that art is consumed, experienced, and created. By providing a platform for artists to experiment and explore new possibilities in a virtual environment, Artbox VR is set to make waves in the art world. The project represents the forefront of this rapidly evolving field, utilizing cutting-edge technology to offer viewers a truly immersive and interactive experience. By creating experiences that are both sophisticated and realistic, the project is tapping into the full potential of this technology and providing a glimpse at what the future of virtual reality art could look like. F E A T U R E S T O R Y | 8 6
São Rafael Galleries is revolutionizing the way we experience art in the 21st century. With the belief that computer vision is the future of preserving and exhibiting heritage art, they have launched a groundbreaking project that aims to bring technological sophistication to the Portuguese and global art market. The Artbox VR mission is to leverage the latest advancements in virtual and augmented reality to create immersive heritage experiences that raise the bar of exhibition standards and offer unparalleled access to exclusive artworks from national and international artists. By leading the normalization and expansion of digital markets, the project seeks to protect the next generation of museums and galleries while scaling new heights in art innovation, creativity, and passion. São Rafael Galleries invite us to a journey that ignites our imagination, fires our passion, and explores the limitless potential of technology. Artbox VR is a step ahead; it's a huge artistic production that fits into a 30cm technological box. More than an exhibition, Artbox VR is an innovative immersive cultural center in motion. The works jump out of the frames, and the F E A T U R E S T O R Y Inside Artbox VR, the spectator will be able to choose between several experiences in the field of plastic and visual arts, with options that range from classical to contemporary art. Artbox VR, using virtual reality, manages to turn the two-dimensional into threedimensional with the possibility, through the Artbox VR pack, to be accessible and experienced not only in the presentation space but also from home. The insertion of hyper-realism in virtual environments differentiates this project from any other existing nationally and internationally, having been distinguished with the Best Use of Technology in Portugal by the Iberian Festival Awards '23. paintings come to life in an innovative experience that allows us to appreciate real works of art enhanced through a virtual environment. Also, inside the Artbox VR, the spectator can move through the exhibition rooms and interact with the works of art, immersed in the pictorial universe of contemporary art, crossing different rooms where in some cases huge projections of the works allow him to feel completely immersed in the works painted by the artists that are animated and interact in a second plastic dimension, a vibrant, and unforgettable sensory experience with an audio description narrated in voice-over. | 8 7 A VIRTUAL REALITY PROJECT BY SÃO RAFAEL GALLERIES
P A G E 8 8 | VI R T U A L EX H I B I T I O N USE YOUR QRCODE READER T O AC C E S S T H E 3 D EX H IBI T I O N .
CARLOS TEIXEIRA Carlos Teixeira was born in Angola and lives in Braga. Owner of a keen artistic sensibility, Carlos considers himself predominantly a figurative artist, both in painting and photography. In painting, his style is recognized for having black as a background and blocks of pure color in the protagonists. In his curriculum, there are numerous exhibitions and awards. He has already exhibited in Portugal, Spain, France and Brazil. Maria is an artist who mostly works in collage, acrylic, and graffiti. She likes to paint in different themes and series. Often she has a message when she paints, but everything is in the viewer's eyes. Portraying women and women's bodies is something that is close to her heart. Her paintings are based entirely on emotions and are inspired by her surroundings. Strong colors are an important part of her art. To optimally experience art is to see a painting one day and then discover something completely different in the motif another day. Maria has already exhibited in Van Gogh Art Gallery, European Art Guide, Focus Art Fair, and Carrousel Du Louvre. MARIA IMPERATORE P A G E 8 9 48 49
R O D O L F O M. C O S T A Rodolfo M. Costa is a young plastic artist from Fuseta, Algarve. He studied sculpture at Lisbon Fine Arts School, where he acquired skills in wood production. 90 www.saorafaelgalleries.com 50
"THIS SERIES GREW OUT OF CHOOSING AN ‘INDUSTRIAL’ METHOD, MAKING A COLLAGE RATHER THAN JUST A PAINTING. A NON-TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO CREATING A VIBRANT, URBAN IMAGE. " COLLAGE After his training, he moved to Berlin where he worked as a carpenter and was inspired by the Kunstmeile spirit of the Berlin Wall ("the art mile"). His journey resulted in the exploration of new approaches such as tattooing, resin, digital drawing, and editing, which culminated in the creation of a series of 18 frames sealed in resin. His first exhibition entitled "Collage of Collages" was held at Artesis Gallery in Tavira. Rodolfo captures fragments of a vandalized fantasy dimension and brings them into our reality, exploring themes such as graffiti, information, advertising, multiculturalism, and consumerism. | 9 1 51
a n t ó n i o a z e n h a " . . .T O YS IN THIS ASPECT AR E IMP O R TANT B ECAUSE THEI R PLACEMENT IN THE VAR I O US SCULPTUR ES ALS O C O NV EYS O THE R TYPES O F MESSAG ES. . . . " | 9 2 54 53 52
AN INTERACTIVE PARTY FOR CONTEMPORARY ART A N A R T ICLE O N A N T Ó N I O A ZE N H A SC U LPT U R E B Y S Í LVI A R A P O S O António Azenha was born in Angola, in 1964, but grew up in Figueira da Foz and Coimbra. Graduated in Painting and Master in Aesthetic Communication, by EUAC. He began exhibiting in the 1980s, participating in various festivals and exhibitions with drawing, painting, happening, performance, video and sculpture works. In his path, in 2009/10, the work entitled "O meu peão, deles e Nosso" stands out, starting a work marked by children's imagination and collective generational iconography, which culminated in the exhibition “Toys Replay”. In 2016/17, the exhibition “Yellow Bricks” begins at Casa Municipal da Cultura de Coimbra, whose basic concept is the reuse and redesign of toys on a larger scale to create an aesthetic experience that takes us back to childhood imagination. More recently, he created the “Interact Buddha Party”, an artistic installation based on ancient Chinese stories and legends, which includes sculptures inspired by the Chinese horoscope and the animalistic imagery of Asia, as well as an artist's calendar. The INTERACT BUDDHA PARTY project by the artist António Azenha cannot be dissociated from the concept of objectification, be it the objectification of the image or the image as an objectification of individual and collective This article aims to deepen the theme of Sculpture and Artistic Installation in the path of the plastic artist António Azenha, analyzing the “Interact Buddha Party” project. PAGE 93 ART REVIEW ARTICLE
memories. For António Azenha, the name of the project is based on a legend associated with the Chinese Zodiac, the legend of Buddha who calls all animals to the farewell party before his departure from Earth. But only twelve animals came to say goodbye and in return he gave the name of an animal each year, in the order in which they arrived. The Chinese lunar calendar is the oldest chronological record in history. Giving form to gigantic figures, António Azenha objectifies the animals that make up this zodiac, based on a mixed technique (various toys, plurioethane, iron, acrylic and others) and on Chinese stories and legends about the genesis of the horoscope. It should be noted that the Chinese Horoscope was introduced by Emperor Huang Ti and dates from 2637 BC, being used by Chinese farmers as an almanac to look for the most favorable days of the year for harvesting and sowing. Based on the lunar calendar, the Chinese horoscope serves as a complement to our solar horoscope and shapes António Azenha's sculptures. Initially appearing as three-dimensional wire structures that gave rise, in 2018, to the exhibition “Buddha party”, the beginning of the project, the sculptures by Azenha that give rise to the artist’s calendar are filled with toys and are now embodied in the Asian animalistic imaginary: the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Serpent, the Horse, the Goat, the Rooster, the Monkey, the Dog and the Pig. Placing various toys on the iron structure created, the artist fits them in a nonrandom way, but with the necessary precision to communicate the signs, or as he himself points out, “in the sculpture of the horse, everything is covered with caresses (.. .), horses from chariots. The bull is covered with doll bodies, where the muscles, legs, arms, etc., give greater expression, the collage of euro cents on all of them, there is a present game, a new play”. Always highlighting the presence of unbridled consumerism, the artistic objects also present themselves as a warning to future generations and an appeal to recycle and reuse consumption icons. Thus, enter this interactive "party", animalistic figures that dialogue with the consumer society: a bull built with bodies, arms and legs of barbie dolls and kens as an appeal to musculature and strength, a horse built with toy cars patched for the horses as a reference to the power of the car engines, a rabbit in lego, a pig where a racket almost PAGE 94 ART REVIEW ARTICLE
forms the figure of a ham and coins referring to the famous piggy bank stand out. Occidentalism in the work is assumed, as it is a Western view of an Eastern tradition in a contemporary society where most toys are Made in China. It should be noted that this theme of children's imagination and collective generational iconography came from a plastic investigation that began in 2008, when the artist opted to objectify a collective memory based on toys from his childhood generation, which culminated in the exhibition “Toys Replay ”. This exhibition featured sculptures based on images of the famous spinning top, the figure of Donald Duck, the rocking horse or even the Barcelos Rooster. Thought of as an extension of the existence of the toy itself, the artist sought to work the scale, which is why he presented a top 2 meters high, proposing “a different way of playing, not tactile, but of enjoyment in reliving / remembering memories of each one of the observers”. Azenha affirms each toy as a world of personal memories, from which it highlights the concepts of re-design, recycling and consumerism by reobjectifying them in an aesthetic experience that takes us back to the imagination of childhood. As Miller points out, objects are not external to people, they construct them in a kind of symbiosis where the boundary between people and objects fades away, breaking with the subject/object dichotomy through the concept of objectification. Thus, it is part of who we are, not only our conscience or body, but also an external environment that drives us and that is directly related to a capacity of toys, even if faded “out of focus”, remaining peripheral, to continue to be a determining factor “of our conduct and identity” (Miller, 2005). This means that António Azenha's sculptures do not possess meanings just because of what they mean in a given context, but because of their agency, because of what they do, because of what they modify and influence (Gell, 1998). This argument is particularly noticeable in the sculptures that appear as an integral part of a memory-body, testimony of time and a way of fixing the memory of a generation of childhoods, highlighting the way in which, as Turgeon refers, “le passé se loge dans les objets de la vie quotidienne, dans les sensations qu'ils éveillent et qui lui servent de supports mnémoniques” (Debary, O. E Turgeon, 2007). Toys are then assumed as memory aids that, referring to the concept of games and playing, highlight the way in which PAGE 95 ART REVIEW ARTICLE
discussions on the environment, highlighting the works of Vik Muniz, Sayaka Kajita Ganz , Ann P.Smith, Erika Iris Simmons, Sandhi Schimmel Gold, Nils-Udo or Bernard Pras; or for new aesthetics that question the social function of art, António Azenha uses it to expose Asian culture and its worldview through sculptural objects. Starting from a memory and an imaginary of traditional Chinese legends as a way of creating an identity production based on a social and cultural memory and a kind of mise-en-scène of children's imagination, Azenha opens a space for negotiation of meanings and mnemonics associated with the toy, giving rise to childhood countermemories strained by the artist's personal experience. current artistic practices increasingly feel the need to objectify memories, generally linked to a collective imaginary. It is understood that it is not only people who build objects, but objects also build people (Miller, 1987), and if according to Gell, what animates the object is the intentionality that we attribute to it (Gell, 1998), then these sculptures with toys, perceived as repositories of agency, can themselves be a matter of resistance, referring to cultural criticism, consumer society and classical and traditional sculpture. The works of António Azenha draw on the famous Pop Art or the Dadaism of the 20th century that found in recycling an element of transgression and criticism of war and human foolishness, challenging the aesthetic and artistic values of the time and assuming itself as a dictatorship of reductionism; also referring, in the artist's words, to the Italian arte povera of the late 1960s, which, with the use of garbage, evidenced a whole reflection on the way society uses and discards objects. At the beginning of the 21st century, in which garbage starts to be used in artistic production as a form of protest and awareness through art, whether for global PAGE 96 ART REVIEW ARTICLE 55
here they return to forms of fun that are also necessary for adulthood, as the artist points out, interaction is the key concept of the sculptures because “the spectator can interact with the sculptures themselves, there are toys that can be activated, some sound, others move, etc.” Thus, the hybrid and ambiguous character of the sculptures is evident, questioning the Asian iconology through the layers of meanings they raise, created from icons, stereotypes and archetypes of the animals present in the Zodiac. These are images that are characterized as both material and immaterial, that is, both embodied in objects - (such as toys) - and in memories, highlighting an opposition between material/immaterial, but which at the same time is always material, since the mental image needs the observer's mind-body as a material support and the material image also transmits an image that can be copied in another medium, for example, a memory. Here, this memory emphasizes the imaginary of childhood through a cannibalistic dialogue with the images of the animals of the zodiac and of the consumer society, in a not only mental aspect, but also pictorial, visual images and composed of sensations, sounds and emotions, which at the same time time are an interior screen that inhabits our head, in Based on the toy, conceptually understood as imagination and everything that comes from an abstract world, a hypothetical concept that takes shape in a tangible body that is inhabited by the memories and personality of its owner and a faithful companion in the childhood rite of passage for adulthood, António Azenha works above all with cultural objects, shaped by the values, concepts, fashion and technologies of the time and society that produced them. As the artist points out, “the toy helps in the psychological and motor development of a child, his imagination and creation”, allowing us, through it, to understand the people who have them, since they present themselves, as he argues Ofugi, as encoded miniatures of the ideas and concerns of the adult world (Ofugi, 2009). It can be argued, then, that the Interact Buddha Party project, despite being based on an easily understandable object – the toy – is extraordinarily complex in terms of content, as it unites the child/adult dualism in the same object. Evidencing a strong, political and engaged content, its language is visually playful, representing an opening of possibilities. If the seriousness of adult life distances the subjects from the act of playing and games, PAGE 97 ART REVIEW ARTICLE
References: DEBARY,O. E TURGEON, L. (2007), “introduction : entre objets et memóires, Em (Ed.) Objets & Mémoires, Paris, MSH editions, pp. 13-36. GELL, A. (1998), Art and Agency, an Anthropological Theory, Oxford, Clarendon Press, pp. 1- 27; 121-126; 220-258. MILLER, Daniel (1987), Material Culture and Mass Consumption, Oxford: Blackwell. Miller, Daniel (2005), "Materialidad: una introducción", Em Daniel Miller (ed.), Materiality, Duke University Press, Durham, NC, pp. 1-50, OFUGI, Marina Bousquet (2009) “Toy Art”, Em Toy Art: conceitos e contextualização dos brinquedos de design na esfera da arte e da indústria cultural. Trabalho apresentado à Faculdade de Tecnologia e Ciências Sociais Aplicadas, como requisito parcial para a obtenção ao grau de Bacharel em Comunicação Social com habilitação em Publicidade e Propaganda no Centro Universitário de Brasília – UniCEUB. Brasília, Junho de 2009, 48 f., pp-11-21. the domain of memory or imagination. The mise-en-scène of the Asian animalistic imaginary is presented, in this artist's calendar, as a plastic and performative strategy that allows the creation of micropolitics, new forms of sovereignty and counterpower based on visual communication as an aesthetic act, in a gesture of devouring images that seek to swallow the image of consumption and, at the same time, make you dream, or, as Wislawa Szymborska said, paint like Van Delft, listen to voices like the most austere saints, fly away from yourself, manage to discover Atlantis or fall off a roof as if we were descending lightly into the greenery. PAGE 98 ART REVIEW ARTICLE 56 57