Today is the opening of “Something old, something new, something borrowed”, a solo exhibition by Portuguese visual artist Add Fuel at Underdogs Gallery in Lisbon, Portugal.
Based on the practice of articulation and reinterpretation that has characterised his artistic activity, Add Fuel presents in “Something old, something new, something borrowed” a staging of an intimist nature arranged in a type of idealised and stylised domestic setting – part genuinely cosy, part openly satirical –, that suggests a narrative of decorative contours that aggregates a multiplicity of references, iconographies, and signs which, in one way or another, have contributed towards shaping his personal and artistic identity. Inviting the viewer to enter a space charged with symbolic elements, from the more obvious to the more covert, that configure the multiple realities and readings which give life to the artist’s personal universe, “Something old, something new, something borrowed” essentially speaks of personal records and comforts, of the past and the present, of what was and what is – a series of reflections that convey a repertoire of emotions, interests, and stories particularly important to the author: distant family recollections, but also recent intimate memories; pleasant re-connections with domesticity after long periods of travel in the real world, but also disconnections and ironic provocations with the virtual world of social media; a long relationship with the universe of animation and video games, but also another with themes of classical representation from the history of art.
About the artist:
Add Fuel is Portuguese visual artist and illustrator Diogo Machado (1980). A former graphic designer, his recent artistic practice has been focused on reinterpreting and playing with the language of traditional tile design, and that of the Portuguese tin-glazed ceramic azulejo in particular. Blending traditional and contemporary elements, his original vector- based designs and stencil-based street art reveal an impressive complexity and a masterful attention to detail. Based on
a combination of tesselations that create balance from symmetrical repetitions and visual illusion techniques such as trompe-l’œil, his multi-layered patterned compositions create a poetic rhythm that plays with the viewer’s perception and the possibilities of interpretation. He has been showcasing his work in both solo and group exhibitions since 2006, as well as participating in some of the world’s leading urban art events.
www.addfuel.com
‘Something old, something new, something borrowed’ opens on Friday, 3 February 2017, 7pm – 10pm at the gallery located on Rua Fernando Palha, Armazém 56 – Lisbon, Portugal. The exhibition runs through 4 March 2017
More info on under-dogs.net
Author: Fran
Founder and editor of Urbanite. Street Art lover who after the finishing her MA thesis on the Mexican and Norwegian muralist movement in the 1920-50s, developed a fascination for street art and graffiti that eventually led to collaborations with different art blogs, including the creation of this one.
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