8 May 2023 |
Zeh Palito’s first solo show in New York ‘Won’t You Celebrate with Me’ is open May 19 through to June 10th at Luce Gallery. Curated by Larry Ossei-Mensah the show brings us a new perspective on the Afro-Brazilian experience. Palito an Afro-Brazilian visual artist, challenges but also celebrates the experience of the adventure of Black leisure, happiness and general human content. The title of the exhibition comes from a Lucille Clifton poem that he truly believes encapsulates this notion of celebration that is seen throughout his exhibition.
The exuberant surroundings in which he depicts his figures evokes the fundamental joys of life, whether it be embracing your loved ones or simply lounging by the beach. Palito has already grabbed the attention of fellow artist Derrick Adams, naming him as one of his close friends and mentors. Palito aims for his work and exhibition to be a space where people can come together and not only gain a new outlook on the Afro-Brazilian diaspora but also to celebrate each other and to just enjoy life.
What made you gravitate toward this specific poem for your show?
This Lucille Clifton poem captured my message for this exhibition. There is a quote from the poem that I love ‘Come celebrate with me that every day something has tried to kill me and has failed’. Another factor that made me choose this poem is that Lucille spent her life in Baltimore where I have my studio, splitting my time between Brazil and Baltimore. I also have a painting that is inspired by this poem and that painting is currently in the Baltimore Museum and was my first painting to be in a Museum’s collection.
Your work focuses on the black diaspora, was this always your initial intention when it came to your own art?
I think my art intention was always to express myself and just to share a message. I try to show my visual experience as an Afro – Brazilian and when I talk about Black diaspora I want to normalize the presence of the figures of black bodies. I am sharing my own experience of Black diaspora on leisure and just enjoying life and not focusing too much on our traumas, but more on love and happiness.
When it comes to depicting this diaspora what is one stereotype you wish to challenge?
I wish to challenge the stereotypes of Black bodies in spaces or situations where there are not supposed to be. I am trying to make paintings that are about bigger ideas than the things that affect my individual daily life. I like to depict figures that are self-satisfied and confident, that can be protagonists of their own history, especially given the history of black people is somehow compromised and is always portrayed as traumatic, with a big lack of representation in art history
If you had to pick one thing about Sao Paulo that inspired your work what would it be?
I think what inspired me the most about this part of Sao Paulo is my family, because my family is there and I feel as though life there is simple and slow, and this made me love the simple things of life more.
Do you find it easier to be isolated from a big city in order to create your work?
I think as artists we need inspiration but we also need our brain to be turned off a bit. It is always good to go experience all these big cities and travel and see exhibitions, but then move somewhere a bit remote to create. So I need to be in a quiet spot somewhere, where there are no visual noises around.
Your work is described as “dreamscapes” do your own dreams seep into your work?
Yes, some of my paintings are from my dreams. I think my paintings become portals for the viewers where I am portraying different histories and experiences. My paintings are a little dreamy and joyful and I think my paintings are like excavations of black celebration.
How does the process of storytelling impact the way you create your work?
I want to make paintings that suggest how I want you to see me and my community navigating through our surroundings. Since I am from Brazil and a huge African diaspora and a very tropical and vibrant country of course that has a big influence on how I portray myself. Brazil is always a very vibrant and happy place, just how I would like our identity to be portrayed in this current point in time.
Do you feel as though the colors you use to create a filter for the symbols and figures you depict?
Yes, I think colors can create so many different emotions for us. I believe that art is a point of connection between human beings.Through art we can have better communication from soul to soul. We often cannot express ourselves through words, but through art, music, fashion and culture I think with all of these comes to translate the feelings we cannot do through words and of course color is one of these things.
What are you most excited about for your first NYC solo show?
I am very excited for the show to inspire the viewers to love their partners, family and friends more. Just like my paintings capturing moments of leisure and people enjoying themselves in their free time and all of the simple things in life. I hope this exhibition can be a warm and lovely spot in our minds and a little moment for us to celebrate, and one of these moments where we wonder if time could move slower.
What is the next step for you as an artist?
I am just enjoying my life painting and tackling the next step and challenge that everyday life brings to me and just continue making art with the feeling of love and hope.
