Comunicato stampa
Press release



Matèria is pleased to present Ainda não, André Mendes’ first solo show in Italy. Through the fluid use of different mediums and the testing of their limitations, the Brazilian artist undertakes a process of occupation and appropriation of the gallery space – from the 5th of June onwards in preparation to the exhibition opening – during which an open door policy allowed visitors passing through the San Lorenzo neighbourhood to interact with and witness the production of his exhibition, that has radically take over and redefined Matèria’s spaces.

Ainda não (Not yet) is the condensation of creative chaos and its formal remedy, a testament to the ephemeral nature of Mendes’ outlook on artistic research and production. Given carte blanche by the gallery, the artist brings both aspects together in a collision of approaches where installation, sculpture, painting and drawing reframe our understanding of what is traditionally expected of a gallery exhibition; highlighting the gap between what we understand as finished – ready to travel from the artist studio to the gallery – and what this choice detracts from the organic connivance of ideas, intuition and materials.

The exhibition expands upon Matèria’s core mission – reiterating the themes that define the gallery – by proposing a clear challenge to the contemporary understanding of the commercial space through the commitment to a far more open exhibition model, prone to unexpected results, creative freedom and its resulting errors and surprises. This chosen direction stems in opposition to the diminishing range for experimentation opportunities for artists within the commercial gallery sector; a noticeable shift imposed by an ever-demanding overcrowded market, defined by strict competition models, scarcity of opportunity and rigid aesthetic requirements.

Exhibition in collaboration with Ricardo Fernandes Gallery.