Adrift in Space, Melt in Pace

 

20 February – 21 March 2015

 

4411 Montrose Blvd

In her exhibition, Adrift in Space, Melt in Pace, Sara Bichão presents paintings, drawings, and installations that explore the artist’s concept of memory and self. Unconventional in form, the structures of the paintings are constructed from a unique material-blocks of polystyrene that are layered with fiberglass and concrete. Thin, pale drips of acrylic paint cover the surface, creating coarse terrains for intricate graphite drawings. The drips gradually fall along the deep edges of the painting-uncontrolled, yet delicate. The works appear heavy, due to their medium and density. In actuality, they are lightweight which is further insinuated by the artist’s airy palette. Several of the paintings are composed of four parts, which Bichão assembles into various compositions-investigating the spatial relationship between each form. The circular drawings reflect the silhouette of the paintings, which are made up of simple, repetitive marks that act as inquisitive studies, providing compelling insight into Bichão’s process. A sharp shift in scale occurs between the paintings and the wall installation comprised of intimate objects, including LEGO blocks from the artist’s childhood and fragile found materials like tissue and rope. Inspired by influential figures such as Agnes Martin, David Lynch, and Matthew Barney, Bichão aims to harness these individuals’ creative processes to fuel her own innovative vision. At once ephemeral and contemplative, Bichão creates a balanced environment for the viewer, encouraging the discovery of symbolic meaning. 

About the artist

Sara Bichão (b. 1986) lives and works in Lisbon, Portugal. She received her Master in Fine Arts at the University of Lisbon and in 2012 she was an artist-in-residence at Residency Unlimited, New York. Bichão was awarded the BPI Bank Prize for Painting and the prestigious Fidelidade Mundial Jovens Pintores Prize. Her exhibitions include Artopia Gallery, Milan; Les Gens Heureux, Copenhagen; Pavilhão Branco, Lisbon; Quadrum Gallery, Lisbon; Rooster Gallery, New York; Krypt Gallery, London; Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston; Arevalo Gallery, Miami; Natural History Museum, Lisbon; Museum of Ancient Art, Lisbon; and Oriente Museum, Lisbon. Bichão’s work is in the collections of Culturgest-Fidelidade Mundial, Telo de Morais Collection, Figueiredo Ribeiro Collection, and ECO Collection.