OS GÊMEOS

Known internationally for a figurative style that typically features their signature yellow characters, thin dark red outlining, and intricately patterned designs, OSGEMEOS broke onto the art scene during the late 1980s as graffiti writers in their São Paulo neighbourhood of Cambuci. Initially influenced by the graffiti movement coming out of New York, they were ultimately inspired by the ingenuity and resourcefulness evident in their working class neighbourhood, and sought to make their art accessible to the community as a way to contribute a sense of optimism.

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Déjà Vu extends OSGEMEOS’ approach to their exhibitions as an immersive, multi-sensory experience, as exemplified in their many international institutional shows. The exhibition pays tribute to music in particular with their mixed media sound installation, White Carnival (2016), where the artists have painted their characters directly onto speakers in a formation that resembles a choir. More traditional paintings from a recent series of work pay homage to the late 1970s and early 1980s, the period which represents a coming of age for the artists. This era, considered the golden age of hip-hop, is intrinsically linked to their practice with comparisons evident in the bravado, improvisational structure, and descriptions of everyday life on the streets. Additional paintings reflect upon lived and imagined experiences the artists share, including allegorical motifs such as water and the moon and stars, which have long appeared in their work, rendered vividly to conjure a lucid dream state.

Similar to the Surrealist artists of the early 20th century, OSGEMEOS seek to defy conventions and push boundaries in art and society through the unbridled exploration of the subconscious and one’s imagination. In direct contrast to the surrealist notion of a solitary dream space, the twins have described a shared intuition and subconscious experience that is translated visually through their collaborative process. Through their art, OSGEMEOS seek to empower their audience to consider their own subconscious.

About the artists

OSGEMEOS, which translates to ‘the twins,’ is a collaborative art duo comprised of twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo (b. 1974, São Paulo, Brazil; live and work in São Paulo). Solo exhibitions of their work have been organized at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, 2012; Berardo Collection Museum, Lisbon, 2010; and Museum Het Domein, Sittard, Netherlands, 2007, among others. Select group exhibitions featuring their work include Art in the Streets, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 2011; Viva la Revolucion: A Dialogue with the Urban Landscape, Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, 2010; and When Lives Become Form: Creative Power from Brazil, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, 2008. Their work is in numerous international public collections, including The Franks-Suss Collection, London; Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo; Museu de Arte Brasileira, São Paulo; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo. In 2014, OSGEMEOS was included in the Vancouver Biennial. Major public commissions include HangarBicocca, Milan, 2016; Parallel Connections, Times Square Arts: Midnight Moment, New York, 2015; Wynwood Walls, Miami, 2009; Tate Modern, London, 2008; and Creative Time, New York, 2005.