Renato chose us. Yes, Renato chose to be represented by Galeria Estação, and this is his first solo exhibition with us.
Talented, charismatic, he immediately won over our entire team. His prose reflects his work. It flows while discussing a world that ranges from the real to the imaginary, captivating the listener and leaving the feeling of "I want more".
The selection of Ana Carolina Ralston was his. We accepted and agreed, as we had long desired to collaborate on a project with her curation, and the moment had finally arrived.
Renato is incredibly meticulous and detailed; he even constructed a model to illustrate his vision for the exhibition to us. He convinced us to occupy two floors of the gallery to showcase his visual dissertation. We now present to you the joy of the collaboration between Renato and Galeria Estação.
We hope you experience the same positive energy and enthusiasm that have brought us to this point.
Vilma Eid
Renato Rios: The elephant and the sapphire
Ana Carolina Ralston
O mal está apenas guardando lugar para o bem.
O mundo supura é só a olhos impuros.
Deus está fazendo coisas fabulosas.
Para onde nos atrai o azul? – calei-me.
Estava-se na teoria da alma.1
João Guimarães Rosa
Tutaméia – Terceiras estórias
A robust female elephant strides into the room. Majestic and uncomplicated, she positions herself within the space, occupying almost its entirety. In her slender trunk, the animal delicately holds a shimmering sapphire the size of an apple, radiating its color so powerfully that it turns everything around it blue. Composed of white brushstrokes and outlined by a thin purple rim, the precious stone echoes the theory of the German Josef Albers (1888-1976), that our perception of color depends entirely on the context to which we are exposed. The scene described above occurred during a dream of the Brasiliense artist Renato Rios in the months leading up to the arrival of his daughter, Aurora. The fantastic plot turned into a canvas and now also names his first solo exhibition as an artist represented by Galeria Estação.
On the opposite wall, also located on the mezzanine of the exhibition space, is Great Spirit. The large-scale painting, done in the same lysergic blue that reinforces Rios's skill in the study of color, draws the viewer towards it, as if we could penetrate the magical portal that opens when facing it. Its title indicates one of the possible paths to unravel it. The Great Spirit, also known as Wakan Tanka among many indigenous cultures of the Americas, speaks of the divine, the great mystery of life and beyond it. The Great Spirit has often been conceptualized as a deity that connects us to spirituality, manifesting as the sound of the universe that permeates everything, resonating in the artist's painting through fine chromatic circles that seem to vibrate a kind of melody.
Between the two powerful paintings unfold on each side 36 small-format canvases. Each of them resonates like a musical note, and together they compose a symphony of colors that unfolds continuously, forming pathways along the sides of the space. As we traverse them with our eyes, it's as if we realize that these canvases are born from each other in a poetic and interconnected cadence. There is an installative quality in Rios's production that takes shape like an Ouroboros, where each painting emerges from the other, perpetuating an infinite virtuous circle.
The exhibition design proposed by the artist for the two spaces of Galeria Estação emphasizes his experiential relationships with painting. While color and its abstraction take center stage on the mezzanine, suggesting a celestial experience to the viewer, in the earthly world of the ground floor, Rios proposes a chromatic study focused on the vegetal, mineral, and animal universes, bringing us back to our roots. In this way, we see color as the subject in different formats, as it creeps through a crack or crevice through which it is possible to access a new place, a portal of contact between sensations that surround the sky and the earth. It is through this same passage that we also return from this experience, in a continuous movement of ingress and egress, like the systole and diastole of a heart. Thus, Rios's paintings are, each of them, passages, portals of arrival and departure, from and to points of infinite possibilities that light, landscape, and animate and inanimate beings born from his paints provide us.
For Rios, painting is the space where the artist achieves self-realization. It's a time and space where he gathers faculties in analytical fields and in the different phenomena of perception. His practice leads him to a certain state of mind that promotes his path of self-improvement. It is also through painting that he manages to converge different worlds, real and imaginary. In this way, it reinforces his aggregating role, which allows him to celebrate and synthesize experiences. Through this medium, he connects with his innermost self, a creative spiritual field that he believes is essential to life.
In his thought and in his production, Rios suggests the union between nature and culture, two concepts that we often consider disparate, almost diametrically opposed. Modernity has been based for years on the dichotomy of this idea, as if from the construction of something that intellectually nourishes us, we distance ourselves from our origin, the earth. According to Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961), "in man, everything is natural, and everything is made." We are a combination of the natural and the cultural, and this may be the singularity, and why not, the power and wonder of Homo sapiens. It is in the confluence of these two territories that among the layers of carefully overlaid colors, men emerge as bridges between these two universes that compose us. Whether at rest, with a steady gaze on the horizon, or in action, paddling through the waters, the human as portrayed by Rios does not lead us to a feeling of confrontation, but rather to the harmony of physical and mental coexistence between the natural and the cultural, as Merleau-Ponty argues.
The consonance of universes gains strength in such figures, suggesting a meeting of different ethnicities, references, and ancestries. The artist's choices resonate with the thoughts of Antônio Bispo dos Santos (1959-2023), who in his cosmological vision says that a river does not cease to be a river because it merges with others, quite the contrary. It becomes itself and many rivers, strengthening. "When we merge, we do not cease to be ourselves, we become ourselves and another – we yield. Confluence is a force that increases, that expands." Such confluence in Rios's production unites visualities, connecting the figurative and abstract worlds. And, as Bispo asserts, this communion does not diminish the potency of the work; quite the opposite, it adds up, gaining contours, flashes, nuances, different flavors that only those who deeply study the alchemy of paints can achieve. Among the thousands of possibilities of the earth, a hundred possible aromas are born, which transit in this space of light and shadow. Initially, we recognize the strength and beauty of the specific tones conceived by Rios. It takes time to reach the degree of miscegenation proposed by the artist, which leads to such effects. His painting leads us to enchantment, immortalizing the fraction of a second of the brush's movement. As Guimarães Rosa said on his induction into the Brazilian Academy of Letters in 1967, "The world is magical: people do not die, they become enchanted." And so are the figures that occupy the artist's canvases.
In the figurative layers, we also encounter animals, a constant presence in his artistic repertoire. We observe the procession of a troop of horses, the graceful sway of their manes, and the gentle curve of their hooves as they draw near to one another. His brushstrokes welcome us into this landscape, creating movement, bringing forth in us the sound of the footsteps and everything else that we do not see but perceive to exist in such a scene. Similarly, the maned wolf traverses the scene, often depicted in the landscapes of the cerrado, a biome intimately familiar to the artist. Other beings also permeate the painter's canvases, allowing their presence to flirt between the real and the imaginary and once again putting Rios's painting into perspective. There we also find other references from his personal environment, such as artemisia, an aromatic and shrubby plant with medicinal characteristics. Descending from the sky, stars of various hues grace his canvases, serving as a poignant reminder of the link between the divine and the terrestrial, as we are all progeny of the earth, fire, water, and air.
Note
1 Free translation: Evil is just holding space for good./ The world festers only to impure eyes./ God is doing fabulous things./ Where does blue attract us to? – I shut up./ Top of FormWe were on the soul theory.
The Elephant and the Sapphire, Renato Rios's first solo exhibition at Galeria Estação, occupies two spaces with a series of paintings interconnected by the dreamlike, figurative, and abstract poetics of the Brasilia born artist.
Opening on March 25th, the exhibition features 38 works including paintings of small, medium, and large formats. It also marks another unprecedented partnership—the collaboration between curator Ana Carolina Ralston and gallery owner Vilma Eid.
A graduate in Visual Arts from the University of Brasília, his hometown, Renato Rios has been residing in São Paulo since 2016. In the city, he served as an assistant to sculptor Laura Vinci and painter Paulo Pasta, both significant inspirations for his artistic formation. At the age of 34, with an expressive body of work that includes seven celebrated solo exhibitions, as well as awards and participation in various group shows, the young artist now presents his latest exhibition, Renato Rios: The Elephant and the Sapphire. The solo exhibition comprises 38 works including paintings of small, medium, and large formats—one of them lending its name to the show—marking his first collaboration with Galeria Estação, a partnership long desired by the artist himself.
"For me, being a part of Galeria Estação’s roster is immensely meaningful. The gallery embodies the foundational elements of Brazilian art that I've always held dear. I specifically chose this space to showcase my work because I've longed to anchor it within these foundational roots. This exhibition also serves as a celebratory moment for me. It's the first time I feel I've seamlessly integrated all my technical and poetic resources into a single showcase," says Rios. "I believe my work now reflects a level of maturity attained by being in an environment where I can navigate with unwavering confidence in my craft, free from any reservations or timidity," he affirms.
For Vilma Eid, the co-founder of Galeria Estação, Rios' approach was akin to a gift, as was his suggestion of curating the exhibition. "Talented and charismatic, Renato chose us and immediately captured our hearts. His prose mirrors his artwork, which traverses a realm stretching from the real to the imaginary, leaving everyone yearning for more. The selection of Ana Carolina Ralston was also his decision. Given our longstanding desire to collaborate on a project with her as curator, the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Renato's meticulous attention to detail was evident when he constructed a model to illustrate his vision for the exhibition. This convinced us to allocate two floors of the gallery to showcase his visual dissertation," explains Vilma.
On the ground floor of Galeria Estação, Rios presents canvases that propose a chromatic study centered around the realms of vegetation, minerals, and animals. Adorning the side walls of the mezzanine are two polyptychs with installation features, Serestas I and II, comprising 24 small paintings. According to the artist, these resemble "flags suggesting a musical score of colors." Bridging these components are two large paintings that establish a poetic unity within the collection of images.
"The 'scores' converge on one side, with an ovoid called Grande Espírito, measuring 2.5m in width. On the other, we will have the painting The Elephant and the Sapphire. The dream that inspired this painting came to me five years ago when my wife was pregnant with my daughter, Aurora. I was fatigued in the studio and decided to take a very brief nap, but within it, I had this dream where an elephant entered through the bedroom door, carrying on the tip of its trunk such an intense sapphire that everything around it was enveloped in a mysterious blue light. Upon waking, I hurried to the studio, and within 15 minutes, I sketched a blue elephant with a white egg on its trunk. For me, everything falls into place when I can create in this manner, extracting and amplifying the beauty that is always presented to me," explains Rios.
In the curatorial text by Ana Carolina Ralston, this intuitive characteristic of the artist, who navigates the threshold between reality and imagination, also resonates in other aspects of his poetics: "For Rios, painting serves as the space where the artist realizes himself as a subject. It represents a temporal and spatial realm where he synthesizes faculties from analytical fields and various perceptual phenomena. His choices echo the sentiments of Antônio Bispo dos Santos (1959-2023), who, in his cosmological vision, posits that a river does not cease to be a river upon merging with others; rather, it becomes itself and many rivers, thereby fortifying its essence. This convergence within Rios's oeuvre unifies visual elements and bridges the figurative and abstract realms," she contends.
On Tuesday, April 23rd—the day marking the beginning of the final week of the exhibition, which closes on April 30th—Renato Rios and Ana Carolina Ralston will host a public discussion at Galeria Estação.
About Renato Rios
Renato Rios (Brasília, 1989) pursued a bachelor’s degree in fine arts at the University of Brasília (UnB) between 2008 and 2013, and has been living and working in São Paulo since 2016. His research investigates symbolic intuition, seeking to integrate the fields of representation and mythical consciousness regarding the relationships between nature, spirit, and the world. Solo exhibitions: Sweet Oranges, Alfinete Gallery, Brasília-DF (2015); Archetypes, Breu Space, Barra Funda – SP (2018); Arrow, Karla Osório Gallery, Brasília-DF (2020); Lesson of Birds, Karla Osório Gallery, Brasília-DF (2022); Skin Exchange, Index Gallery, Brasília-DF (2023); Cruises, Mul.ti.plo Espaço Arte, Rio de Janeiro-RJ. Participation in group exhibitions, among other shows held in Brasília (DF): Brasília, Pleasure of Painting, Funarte Brasília (2010); On the Surface of Pages, Marcantonio Vilaça Cultural Space (2014); Where's the Wave, Honestino Guimarães National Museum (2015); Dynamic Synthesis III, Karla Osório Gallery (2019). Awards: Contemporary Art Award Espaço Piloto (UnB), Brasília – DF (2011); Vera Brandt, Palácio do Planalto, Brasília-DF (2016); Acquisition Prize at the 48th Luiz Sacilotto Contemporary Art Salon (2020).
About Ana Carolina Ralston
Ana Carolina Ralston is an independent art researcher and curator. She orchestrates and executes texts and projects for galleries and institutions, including Pavilhão da Bienal, MIS-SP, Centro Cultural Correios, MuBA, Praça das Artes, and Biblioteca Mário de Andrade. From 2018 to 2020, she served as deputy curator at the FAMA museum in Itu/SP, where she curated exhibitions featuring artists such as Louise Bourgeois and Arthur Bispo do Rosário. Additionally, she held the position of artistic director at Galeria Kogan Amaro, with branches in São Paulo and Zurich, Switzerland. As a cultural journalist, she has contributed to various reputable publications such as O Estado de S. Paulo, Vogue Brasil, and Harper's Bazaar Art. She holds a master's degree in cultural journalism from Columbia New York University and a postgraduate degree in art, criticism, and curating from PUC-SP. Currently, she devotes her efforts to research on art, nature, and the intersection between environmental and technological realms.
About Galeria Estação
With a collection considered among the pioneering and most significant in the country, Galeria Estação, established in late 2004 by Vilma Eid and Roberto Eid Philipp, has gained renown for its dedication to unveiling and promoting non-erudite Brazilian art production. Its pivotal role in integrating this language into the contemporary art circuit is evident through its publication efforts and the organization of solo and group exhibitions, all under the scrutiny of the nation's foremost curators and critics. The gallery's roster, which began to garner attention in specialized media, has also garnered international recognition through participation in exhibitions such as Histoire de Voir at the Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain in France in 2012, and the Entre dois Mares Biennial – São Paulo | Valencia, in Spain, in 2007. A significant example of this international presence was the solo exhibition of Veio – Cícero Alves dos Santos in Venice, coinciding with the Art Biennale in 2013. In Brazil, alongside solo exhibitions and participation in prestigious group shows, the works of the gallery's artists adorn the collections of esteemed collectors and institutions such as the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, the São Paulo Museum of Art, the Afro Brazil Museum (SP), the Pavilion of Brazilian Cultures (SP), the Itaú Cultural Institute (SP), SESC São Paulo, the MAM- Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro, and the MAR, in the capital of Rio de Janeiro.
SERVICE
Renato Rios: The Elephant and the Sapphire
When: March 25th to April 30th
Where: Galeria Estação
Address: Rua Ferreira Araújo, 625 - Pinheiros, São Paulo
Opening: March 25th (Monday), from 6pm to 9 pm.
Gallery hours:
Monday to Friday, from 11 am to 7 pm;
Saturdays, from 11 am to 3 pm;
closed on Sundays.
Tel: +55 11 3813-7253
Email: contato@galeriaestacao.com.br
Website: www.galeriaestacao.com.br
Instagram: @galeriaestacao
