Mask – Gonçalo Mar
Centered on the construction of its own and peculiar imaginary, the work of Gonçalo MAR (b. 1974 Lisbon) mixes elements from the universe of comics and animation with some elements of Japanese culture or others more linked to the codes of streetart. The multicolored central characters are enveloped in a surreal aura, shown in situations that look like they came out of a dream, coated in a lyricism unparalleled in this type of artistic expression in Portugal.
On the wall of a building, there may be a giant character inviting the observer to get out of the routine and dream. However, Gonçalo MAR’s work is not limited to graffiti or street art. The level of elaboration, the obsession with drawing and the richness of details are also transferred to the canvases and the dream installations that he creates and which incorporate wood, cardboard and other “recycled” materials. On the walls of an art gallery, these are the continuation and extension of its very particular cosmos.
