IVAN GRILO: BRINGING A LOVE LETTER TO THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN MIAMI

The project initially will use poetic sentences to activate subjective spaces in Downtown Miami creating the possibility of public interaction, promoting new possibilities for political and social discussion while activating conversation beyond the artist's native Brazilian territory, expanding while allowing borders to dissipate.

For this installation Grillo has created a set of bronze sculptures in his signature style all bearing poetic phrases. The text comes from a fictitious love letter, which can be read as a political manifesto. Or, conversely, the phrases arise from a fictitious political manifesto that can be read as a love letter. In a gesture of inclusion for the diverse communities in Miami, the text appears alternatively in Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian Creole and English allowing each demographic to engage and be integrated on their own terms.

"I am very interested in this ambiguity of phrases, which permeate politics and affection. In addition to this, there is the idea of presenting a work far from the space of the white cube, that allows to reach people completely alien to the art, but never alien to the politics or to the love.” - Ivan Grilo.

“Ivan's artwork not only represents Brazilian art, it brings a very true and sensitive narrative of the current political moment of the country.”- Flavia Macuco Pecego, from The55project.

“Escribe una carta de amor, (Write a Love letter) is a series of sculptures formed by phrases that will be only discovered by the people that walk-through Flagler Street. This gives continuity to a tradition that took place with the surrealists in Paris and that also comes from the situationists and the notion of a psychogeography as the intertwined space between territory and the experience. Additionally, the cartography of this walk will be traced by the surprising encounter with these bronze plaques, which have written on poetic phrases in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Creole with the idea of marking other mental paths to those that discover them, between all the other orientation signals”, says Adriana Herrera, curator.

The program will start with an artist talk followed by a walk, October 24, 25 and 27 @ 4:30pm at the point that was the first place of Aluna Art Foundation. The conversation will explore Ivan Grilo’s works, career, perspectives and the creative process involved in the creation of public art projects. Conversations will be free to the public including non-ticket holders. The talks will be offered in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

For further information about the artist and the project, please visit The55Project.com or send us an email to: info@the55project.com

DETAILED PROGRAM

English/Spanish: Thursday, October 25, 2018 – 4:30pm (Talk starts 5pm) with Adriana Herrera, Curator and Art Critic Friday, October 26, 2018 - 4:30pm (Talk starts 5pm) with Adriana Herrera, Curator and Art Critic

Portuguese: Saturday, October 27, 2018 - 4:30pm (Talk starts 5pm) with Jennifer Inácio, Assistant Curator of PAMM.

Location: Aluna Art Foundation 172 West Flagler Street | Miami, FL

About Artist: Grilo was born in 1986 in Brazil, he lives and works in Itatiba, near Sao Paulo. At the age of 31, he has already featured his works in important public collections including Museu de Arte Moderna de Sao Paulo, Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo, Museu de Arte do Rio, and Guggenheim Museum in NYC among others. In 2016, he was awarded the Foco Bradesco ArtRio Prize. Incorporating photography and installation, his work focuses primarily on his Brazilian heritage and notions of collective memory. The use of objects, videos and other media from a wide variety of topics strengthens and broadens the message, as well as structuring an internal coherence in the work. The process of creation, as well as the making of each work, needs attention to detail, specific knowledge and research of each chosen subject and materials.

About The55Project: Connects people through art, social programs, and education. The project truly believes that empowering, educating and uniting people changes lives. The55Project inspires people to do their best for others, demonstrated through events/visual arts projects, which take place annually between October and May. Brazilian artists, Social Projects founders, Cultural Leaders and Educators will work together to create Art Exhibitions, Special Events, Mural Paintings, Silent Auctions, Residencies, Art Talks and Seminars. The idea was born out of a partnership between two Brazilians, Maria Fulfaro and Flávia Macuco Pecego, both with more than ten years of expertise in the art industry and marketing. 

About Partners: Founded in 2011, Mana Contemporary is one of the largest and most innovative contemporary art organizations in the United States. Through its integrated architectural design, Mana offers exceptional services, spaces, and programming for the greater creative community. All projects and programs are curated by Ysabel Pinol. For more information: manacontemporary.com

About Presenting Sponsor: Piquet Law Firm, is a presenting sponsor of The55Project and has a long record of actively enables audiences to participate and contribute in contemporary art through its partnerships with leading cultural organizations such as Director of the Board of the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, President of the Miami Advisory Counsel of the BrazilFoundation, Member of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables, Member of the Lawyers of Distinction, Member of the Kids in Distress Young Professional’s Group, and Member of the Counsel of the Lide USA1. They have extensive experience assisting clients Latin America clients, who have established or are willing to establish business or residence in the United States. For more information: piquetlawfirm.com