Exhibition "The thread that connects", by Isabella Despujols

In her first exhibition in Brasília, the Venezuelan artist presents a section of her production that is related to a Latin American pictorial tradition, with geometric abstractionism, Op Art and Kinetic Art as starting points for a work in which line and ink blend into subtle, pulsating images

From October 2023 to January 2024, the Brasília Art Museum (MAB) hosts the exhibition “The thread that connects”, by the Venezuelan artist based in Lavras (MG) Isabella Despujols. With eight works in medium and large formats, the artist presents a sample of her production in acrylic painting and embroidery in geometric abstractions that flirt with Op Art and kinetic art. Her works are part of private collections and public institutions such as the Inhotim Institute (MG) and the FAMA Museu (SP). The exhibition “The thread that connects” is carried out by Jackie Shor Projects with the support of MAB. Visitation is from Wednesday to Monday, from 10am to 19pm. Entry is free and free for all audiences. The MAB is located in the SHTN, section 1, Projeto Orla, pole 3, lot 5 / Brasília – DF. Instagram @museudeartedebrasilia.

Graduated in Fine Arts from the Miami International University of Art and Design, United States (2014) and Bachelor in Art History from the University of Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2020), she lived with the works of Latin American masters of kinetic art and Op Art, Venezuelans Carlos Cruz-Diez and Jesús Rafael Soto, his main references in the visual arts. “At university I specifically studied painting. I learned techniques for working with painting in layers, creating color tones based on those I already had”, says the artist who is presenting her production in Brasília for the first time.

“The main focus of my work is the study of the behavior of color in relation to the background color and that of other lines”, says Isabella Despujols. “Geometry has always been my favorite visual language, and kinetic art has always been a very close reference for me to study and create”, highlights the artist.

Curator Cinara Barbosa, who wrote Despujols' presentation text for the exhibition in Brasília, states that the artist connects to her formative experiences to develop her own investigation and technique. “It connects to a reference production in its formation such as Carlos Cruz-Diez and Jesús Rafael Soto, confirming principles that abdicate figurative representation. In search of a subtle and at the same time pulsating plasticity, she mixes painting processes in the background to highlight colors. She creates nuances of relative depth by building games of geometric shapes in her compositions and attributing other visualities to the embroidery tradition,” writes Barbosa.

Regarding the entry of thread and embroidery into his production, Despujols says that thread and embroidery entered his production when he was working on a series of abstractions inspired by fabrics. “I started imitating the fabric line with paint. I just thought the work would be more interesting if I mixed the line. I then started to embroider self-taught along with the use of paint. Then, I realized that with line I could “paint” as if it were paint”, he continues. “The line has enough versatility to work with layers, mix colors, and create optical effects, typical of the kinetic works that I admired so much. Over the years, I have perfected the embroidery technique that I developed myself until arriving at the proposal that I am currently working on and that I hope to continue developing”, he says. Currently, Despujols is developing a series whose main source of inspiration is kineticism and Op Art. “I seek to generate the sensation of movement through colors and the location of lines in the composition”, he adds.

Service
Exposure | The thread that connects
From October 10th to January 31st
Wednesday to Monday, from 10 am to 19 pm