Gustavo Nazareno: Fables on Exu

Gallery 1957 are pleased to present Fables on Exu, its first solo exhibition by Afro Brazilian artist Gustavo Nazareno (b.1994), curated by Deri Andrade, on view in the London gallery from May 29 to June 24 2021.

Fables on Exu builds on the artist’s interest in Orixá (deity) Exu and in religions of African origin in Brazil, a recurring theme in his works.

Exu is the divinity of African religions who opens the paths. A central character in Nazareno's poetic narrative, the orisha is the great messenger of Yoruba mythology. The guardian of spaces, he is also the mediator between the earthly and the spiritual realms.

Produced in a state of meditation and prayer, the symbolic oil paintings featured in the show depict a triumphant Exu - the opposite of his usual negative representation perpetuated by colonialism. He is swathed in a plot of beauty, sensuality and mystery, whether due to the subtlety of the shape of the artist’s strokes, or the opaque contrast of the backgrounds in intense hues.

Gallery 1957

1 Hyde Park Gate

London / UK

www.gallery1957.com