NEW YORK, NY.- Nara Roesler announced the representation of Jonathas de Andrade (Maceió, 1982). De Andrade has been appointed by Jacopo Crivelli Visconti, general curator of the last Sao Paulo Biennial, to represent Brazil in the 59th Venice Biennial, opening to the public in April 2022. The museum Estação Pinacoteca, in Sao Paulo, is also preparing a retrospective exhibition of the artist to take place in Fall, curated by Ana Maria Maia. Currently, Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam (Foam) is showcasing a solo exhibition by de Andrade curated by Hinde Haest, on view through May.
De Andrade’s work is part of important institutional collections including the Musée national d'art moderne – Centre Pompidou; in Paris; Tate Modern, in London; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, in Madrid; Museum of Modern of Art (MoMA), in New York; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, in New York; and Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro (MAM Rio), among others.
His practice departs from a profound interest in Brazilian socio-cultural paradigms, manifested mainly through photography, film, installation and sculpture. By often involving local communities in the construction of his work, de Andrade is able to expand the reach of constantly marginalized voices. While departing from local narratives, the artist masterfully draws attention to universal issues such as gender, class and race constructs.
With a particular interest for books as a medium, Jonathas de Andrade has encapsulated his practice through artist books such as Ressaca Tropical (2016), Manual para 2 em 1 (2015), 4000 disparos (2011); Museu do Homem do Nordeste (2013), and Amor e Felicidade no Casamento (2009).
Nara Roesler will co-represent Jonathas de Andrade in collaboration with Galleria Continua and Alexander and Bonin.
‘I think that an artistic existence -which is not a privilege reserved to professional artists, nor is it always guaranteed to them- is related to a state of attention and urgency, that must be nurtured and be given space. That, in addition to having an aesthetic sensibility towards life. For that matter an understanding of art as an isolated field is ultimately uninteresting. [...] I see art’s strength in its ability to generate energy through absolute contradiction and disarray within a system; through its ability to use checkmates as impulses for movement and transformation, rather than seeing them as insurmountable ambushes.’
