Kenny Scharf
A large, abandoned Victorian hospital in the heart of Sao Paulo, Cidade Matarazzo became an artists’ playground for the project “Made by Brazilians.” Kenny Scharf, Arne Quinze, Joana Vasconcelos, Charley Case, Saner and others transformed the building with immersive installations in the weeks leading up to the Sao Paulo Biennial. Before plans to remodel the estate are put into effect, viewers are welcome to visit the space through October 11.
While Saner painted a long mural outside of the building that riffs on Brazilian folklore, Kenny Scharf set up a hallucinatory, black-light installation filled with ephemera such as obsolete computer keyboards, knickknacks and his painted characters that grin from ear to ear. Joana Vasconcelos, a Portuguese artist, hung her weighty fabric sculptures in Cidade Matarazzo’s atrium and Arne Quinze set up a roof-like wood installation that alters the building’s architecture. Take a look at some photos from the project below.
Photos courtesy of “Made by… Feito por Brasileiros.”
Kenny Scharf
Kenny Scharf
Aerial view of Cidade Matarazzo
Arne Quinze installation
Charley Case
Joana Vasconcelos
Joana Vasconcelos
Nazirah Mestaoui and Huni Kuin
View from the inside of Cidade Matarazzo
View from the court yard
Outdoor mural by Saner
Saner mural detail
Saner mural detail
Saner with his work
Saner with his work
In his current show at Honor Fraser in Los Angeles, Kenny Scharf shares wild new works that include new mixed-media paintings, sculptures, assemblages, and more. “Optimistically Melting!” takes over the space through Nov. 16, and in it, viewers find an veteran artist who maintains his graffiti sensibilities yet constantly pushes his interests into new arenas.
Although he is best known for his humorous graffiti and imagery,