Efrain Almeida works mostly in wood and bronze to create realistic sculptures that reference sexuality, religion, nature, humanity and identity on an intimate scale. The artist also uses watercolor in a series of works on paper in parallel with these three dimensional pieces. Almeida alludes to personal history and childhood memories from the northeast Brazil, as well as to art historical canons. Though usually small in scale, his works have a commanding occupation of space, and draw viewers closer for further exploration. Almeida's oeuvre suggests a harmony between the popular and the scholarly, the intuitive and the calculated, the simple and the sophisticated.
Read MoreEfrain Almeida lives and works in Rio de Janeiro. Recent exhibitions include Fundação Joaquim Nabuco (Recife, 2017), Paço Imperial (Rio de Janeiro, 2015); SESC Santo Amaro (São Paulo, 2015); Casa França-Brasil (Rio de Janeiro, 2013); 29. Bienal de São Paulo (2010); 10. Bienal de Havana (2009). His work is present in several collections, such as: MoMA (New York), MAM-SP (São Paulo); Centro Galego de Arte Contemporânea (Santiago de Compostela); Toyota Municipal Museum of Art (Toyota); and Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo (São Paulo).
Text courtesy Fortes D'Aloia & Gabriel.
