Tag and Juice Gallery in Sao Paulo, Brazil, recently opened Preto e Branco (Black and White), a show by 2501 (Jacopo Ceccarelli) and Ozmo (Gionata Gesi) from Italy. Opened on 2nd of October, the title of the show comes from the main colors that both artists use when creating their work. While the palette utilized is exactly the same, the actual works are quite diverse due to their different styles – the fine line work of 2501, and realistic portraits of religious figures of Ozmo. While visually very different, both styles are actually focused on the same theme – sacred iconography. This is very obvious with Ozmo’s imagery which includes portraits of Jesus, saints, disciples, and other religious imagery, but 2501’s abstract paintings are more focused on the spiritual side of religion. His signature use of gold works perfect with this theme as well, giving the pieces a more noble, sublime feel.
Along with canvases displayed by both artists, visitors of the gallery can also see a sculpture based on the zoetrope concept, created by both artists that clearly shows the way these artists communicate and the way their works complement each other:
Also, the artists created three murals – one a collaboration wall for the outdoor space of the gallery which shares the same story line as the rest of the show, and the other two murals are individual works by each artist. In addition, 2501 created a piece entitled Almost Black, which shows a new direction where he is trying to juxtapose the video and painting mediums by creating work that can be fully appreciated only when the entire process and the layers of the image are seen.
The show is on view until 20th of December, so make sure you visit the gallery spaces if you’re in the area.
