SAO PAULO.- Martins&Montero welcomed Hiram Latorre to the program.

Latorre has been developing a painting practice that draws on reminiscences of places he has visited and affective memories, expressed through a poetic and evocative pictorial approach. His recent works echo themes and styles from art history, such as interior painting and still life, blending elements from diverse perspectives—ranging from Matisse-inspired compositions to modernist design and pop art. These references provide a foundation for creating an intimate atmosphere, reminiscent of a 19th-century novel or a carefully curated photo album. In his interior scenes, drawn from memory or imagined settings, we recognize Eastern patterns in vases and textiles alongside Brazilian furnishings, transporting us to spaces that feel both plausible and improbable.

Drawing on his architectural background and experience in the fashion industry, Latorre’s paintings combine real-world composition with contemplative spaces. He often delimits his pictorial spaces with borders that resemble ornamental frames within the painting itself and, at other times, appear as fragments of the scene, such as the edge of a rug or the corner of a table. His works come alive in the interplay between muted and vibrant hues, such as gold and red, as well as the balance of volumes and lines in the background and the inventive use of textures and patterns across the canvas. Latorre seems to guide us from a tangible spatial reality to a transient, unstable moment in life. While his use of solid colors and everyday objects situates us in realistic spaces, the soft lines and the floating, weightless quality of the objects prevent us from fully defining the time and state we inhabit. Instead, an atmosphere emerges, contouring everything and inviting us to imagine events as they unfold.

In addition to evoking Matisse’s compositions—especially L’Atelier rouge (1911) and Harmonie en rouge (La Desserte) (1908)—Latorre’s paintings also reference the architecture and furniture of Lina Bo Bardi. Like Matisse and Bo Bardi, Latorre does not hesitate to represent the world through objects and domestic spaces but uses these elements to create points of connection with the viewer, opening possibilities for spaces where human presence is suggested through a mysterious atmosphere. Some titles hint at romantic encounters or nostalgic moments, further emphasizing the lyrical quality of his works.

Hiram Latorre (1996, lives and works in São Paulo) holds a degree in Architecture and Urbanism from Escola da Cidade. He participated in the group exhibitions Museum at Instituto Artium, curated by Alberto Simon (2023); Equilíbrio dos Barracos at Museu das Favelas, curated by Carollina Lauriano and Guilherme Teixeira (2023); and Rosas Brasileiras at Farol Santander (2023). His work was also added to the collection of Museu Nacional de Belas Artes in Rio de Janeiro (2023).

Text by Camila Bechelany