The first exhibition in South America by artist Bradley Theodore

Galeria 18 opens the first exhibition in South America by artist Bradley Theodore

On June 20th, Galeria 18 opens the exhibition “The Dance” by artist Bradley Theodore, originally from Turks and Caicos, who lives and became famous in New York. Occupying the entire gallery with various works, the exhibition proposes a play between the act of dancing and the multidisciplinary characteristics of his work, communicating with different cultures through icons, art, and lots of color.

The artist represents the great contemporary icons as skeletons, not in reference to death, but as a fundamental part of any human being. These great figures from fashion, film, music, sports and pop culture icons are simplified to their trademarks, the most recognizable elements that make them easily recognizable regardless of language or where they are viewed. The artist’s work plays with what is ‘legacy’ and what is ‘people like us’.

Warhol 54, BR 2024
Bradley's multidisciplinary approach begins with the influence of his work in graphic design and animation, transmitted in acrylic paint on canvas, screen printing, sculptures and large murals in Milan, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and more recently, in oil paint. In addition to distinct techniques, Bradley's work reaches multimedia, conveying the essence of his work in clothing and footwear for high fashion catwalks, dance on theater stages, 3D art, and music.

With broad brushstrokes and broad gestures, mixing geometric abstraction with the figurative, and vibrant colors that recall Miami, where he grew up, Bradley Theodore seeks to express in color his memories and life experiences, but also emotions common to everyone.

Bowie 54, BR, 2024
“My work is about looking deep inside individuals, which allows you to look deep inside yourself. As a child, I grew up pondering what was behind someone's actions. This has always intrigued me. That’s the biggest question for human beings.” Bradley Theodore speaks for an article for GQ in free translation.

In a search between the external 'I', the icon we all know, and the internal 'I', the mortal person behind the public figure, lifestyle and art merge as part of the artist's iconography, together, they become the universal and multicolored figures in his works. Seeking inspiration on different continents, from Latin America, Europe to Japan, and in contact with different sectors of art, the artist does not look for their differences among them, but rather what exists in common between them all.

Basquiat 54, BR, 2024
The exhibition “The Dance” plays with the universality of color, skeleton, celebrities and pop icons, with what is multicultural for contemporary society, a time of large media and global communication.

About the artist Bradley Theodore
Born in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bradley Theodore is a contemporary artist who began his career in New York City. Upon graduating from the School of Visual Arts, he began working in the field of technology, design and animation, where his artistic career gained momentum.

Theodore's starting point as an artist was to adorn the streets of New York with vibrant, colorful murals of skeletons representing the “royalty” of pop culture and contemporary fashion.

Bradley Theodore is a multidisciplinary artist whose iconoclastic work can be found internationally, in murals over three meters high on the streets of Tokyo, Paris and Milan.
BradleyTheodore

Evoking the universality of color, skeleton and celebrities, the artist transforms widely known figures into skeletons, an act that the artist calls “an act of living” (in free translation: an act of living), immersing them in colors that , for him, express emotions and life experiences.

Theodore's portraits put side by side the legendary and mortal characteristics of modern and contemporary icons and made him a reference in the artistic and high fashion scene in New York City.

The artist has participated in creative collaborations with popular artists and brands such as: Puma, Waldorf Astoria, Haig Club, Moët, Rolls-Royce, Lego and Moleskine. In 2016, Bradley was the official artist of the US Open, creating the four murals on display and was the focus of an independent film called “Becoming: Bradley Theodore,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2017, Google invited Theodore to its artist residency program (AiR), where he used Tilt Brush to create his 3D art. In 2018, for Puma's 50th anniversary, Theodore created a limited edition sneaker design, generating a complete collection of sneakers, clothing and accessories for the Spring Summer 2019 collection.

Most recently, in 2020, Theodore partnered with LEGO as the official artist for the LEGO Dots campaign, and created a series of limited edition bottles for HAIG Whiskey and David Beckham. In 2022 and 2023, he did collaborations with Waldorf Astoria, Snapple, and Project Zero.

Galeria 18 was born to share art in a vivid living space with the aim of inviting people to be part of this journey.

It is located on Rua Simpatia, corner of Rua Harmonia, in Vila Madalena, São Paulo, in a very charming building with gray walls and large windows, breaking the traditional image of white walls.

With a selection of artists with different aspects, it allows the public to see that art should provoke plural feelings.

It presents contemporary art in various media, with renowned and emerging artists, for those who believe that art is a form of expression with an exchange of experiences.

Service
Location: Galeria 18. Rua Simpatia 23, Vila Madalena – São Paulo/SP
Vernissage: 06/20/2024, 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Period: 06/20 to 06/29, 2024
Visitation: Tuesday to Friday | 11am to 8pm.
Saturday | 10am to 6pm
FREE ENTRANCE

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