Carvalhosa

He began his career creating abstract paintings that blended painterly gestures with an emphasis on materiality. Carvalhosa was part of Grupo Casa 7, a collective based in São Paulo, during the 1980s. Other members included Rodrigo Andrade, Fábio Miguez, Nuno Ramos, and Paulo Monteiro. Similar to his colleagues, he created large paintings that focused on pictorial gesture, a characteristic of neo expressionist art. 

Following the group’s disintegration in the late 1980s, Carvalhosa delved into encaustic experimentation and began crafting wax-based paintings, using pure wax or mixing it with pigments. 

He transitioned to sculpting in the mid-1990s, using “lost waxes” and creating organic, malleable-like pieces. During this period, he also experimented with porcelain sculptures. Carvalhosa attributed profound eloquence to the materiality of the media he used, aiming to go beyond formal elements and delve into concepts of time and space. In his practice, one encounters a tension between form and materiality through a disjunction of the visible and the tactile. 

He started creating paintings on mirrored surfaces in the 2000s. In addition to Carvalhosa’s recurring techniques and materials, the artist often explores objects such as tissues and lamps in his installation artwork.

His works are part of several important collections such as: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York), Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (Miami), Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo.