Rafael Pereira

(b.1986, São Paulo - SP. Currently living and working in Caraguatatuba – SP)

Since 2010, Rafael Pereira has been dedicating himself exclusively to his artistic practice, with a primary focus on painting. As a self-taught artist, he has developed his own language for portraying the world around him. This unique approach results in a kind of self-discovery, as he establishes a connection with an unknown aspect of himself. His personal iconographic repertoire serves as raw material for crafting new narratives in his portraits, landscapes, and still-life pieces. Drawing from the historical significance of these classical genres in Western art, he revisits environments he has explored, landscapes he has observed, and people he has encountered. In his view, it's a way to bridge two time periods: the past and the present.

His creative process unfolds spontaneously. Experimentation sets the pace of his production, without predetermined limits or rules. The colors, initially chosen by the artist, dictate the direction and give form to the figurations that had previously resided only in his memory. The array of chromatic possibilities both captivates and inspires Rafael Pereira in his quest for the perfect tone, rendering each detail within his paintings unique.

Though meticulously constructed, his narratives are assembled with specific elements, harmonized on the canvas through the colors and textures proposed by the artist. They depict his personal perception of reality and construct a distinct worldview in which context is as essential as the main subject. Currently, portraiture constitutes a significant portion of his production, with each character's creation stemming from his memories. These individuals are real—friends, family, and acquaintances—but they take on fictional dimensions through characteristics he invents. In this context, every detail is important and unique: each line of the face, every expression, every clothing pattern, every texture, every object and every gaze

As a teenager in Teófilo Otoni (MG), Rafael Pereira specialized in the craft of stone cutting. At the age of 17, he began to experiment with painting and drawing, using oil paint, pastels, and ink. Through years of experience, he learned that creating his own canvas not only grants autonomy but also establishes an initial connection with the artwork, which is crucial in shaping the composition. In a subsequent stage, the surface of the cotton fabric is waterproofed with a base of acrylic paint and white glue, making it ready to receive layers of oil paint, applied with spatulas and various brushes, while respecting the specific textures to be achieved. The entire process must be conducted under perfect lighting, as the light that falls on the canvas becomes an integral part of the artwork. It is essential for achieving the atmosphere sought by the artist, and for Rafael Pereira, the natural environment of his residence in Caraguatatuba (Northern coast of São Paulo) provides the perfect setting.

Solo exhibition

2023-2024 Rafael Pereira – Lapidar imagens, Galeria Estação, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

Group exhibition

2023 Casa Brasil Miami, Miami, EUA