Tiago Aguiar Explores Devotion and Celebration in Brazil's Rosário Festival in His First Solo Show at Uncool Gallery

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"Rusá" explores Brazilian identity through relational photography and photo-installation, under the gaze of the artist and congadeiro from Minas Gerais.

SãO PAULO, BRAZIL, September 10, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Uncool Gallery presents "Rusá: BraSilian Devotion and Celebration," an exhibition by Brazilian visual artist, photographer, and congadeiro Tiago Aguiar. The opening will take place on September 12, 2024, from 6 PM to 8 PM, with the exhibition running until October 5, 2024, in Brooklyn, NY. This show marks the artist's first solo exhibition at the gallery, where he not only assumes the role of creator but also curator, transforming the gallery into a space that reflects the cultural and religious depth of the Festa do Rosário, celebrated annually in Serro, Minas Gerais.

"Rusá: BraSilian Devotion and Celebration" explores the complex cultural tapestry of the festival, recognized by IPHAN as a historical and artistic heritage of Brazil. Through a reverse ethnographic approach, Aguiar uses relational photography to highlight individual identities within the collective, emphasizing those who, outside the festival context, are often marginalized. His approach transforms the festival into a space of creation, where the construction of images not only documents but also honors the tradition and acknowledges the sacredness manifested during the celebration.

The exhibition "Rusá: BraSilian Devotion and Celebration" brings together a body of work created since 2016, divided into three central themes: Dançantes, Caravana, and Quermesse. Dançantes, Aguiar presents intimate portraits of the congadeiros captured in an improvised studio, revealing personal details and peculiarities that often go unnoticed in collective contexts. In Quermesse, the artist revisits the tradition of popular festival photographers, portraying attendees in a temporary studio set up in the square of the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário. Caravana, on the other hand, examines the role of itinerant vendors, whose temporary stalls are an essential part of the festive landscape but whose stories often remain invisible.

The exhibition also includes installation elements, such as large canvas prints and monocles with slides that evoke traditional photographic practices, creating a more organic connection with the celebration's context.

By building community ties and allowing the subjects greater autonomy in the production of the images, Aguiar challenges traditional conventions of photographic creation, creating a space of respect and community. Tiago Aguiar's work can be understood within the reversal of the ethnographic photography tradition but also engages with contemporary movements of relational art and cultural critique.

His practice is part of a broader scene of Brazilian artists exploring the intersection between popular culture and contemporary art, bringing to light issues of identity, memory, and the evolution of traditions in Brazil. In New York, the exhibition offers the public a rare opportunity to experience an internal and intimate perspective of Brazilian culture in a context that often privileges external and generalized views of Brazil.

Service
Exhibition: Rusá: BraSilian Devotion and Celebration
Artist: Tiago Aguiar
Opening Reception: September 12, 2024, 6 PM to 8 PM
On View: September 12 to October 5, 2024
Location: Uncool Gallery - @uncoolgallery | UncoolGallery
162 Flushing Ave, 1st Floor, Brooklyn, NY
Hours: Thursday to Saturday, from 2 PM to 6 PM or by appointment

The artist
Tiago Aguiar (1986) was born in Serro, Minas Gerais, and divides his time between Belo Horizonte and the United States, where he works in construction. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Escola Guignard (MG) and a specialization in photography from the Hallmark Institute of Photography (USA). Aguiar began his career in commercial photography but quickly shifted his focus to artistic and cultural research. His investigation into the Festa do Rosário began in 2010, culminating in a body of work that explores the interaction between traditional cultural practices and contemporary methods of image-making. Among his achievements are the solo exhibition "Rusá" (Belo Horizonte, 2017) and participation in the IA Ouro Preto residency (2022), in addition to being a finalist for the Pierre Verger National Photography Award (2017).

The gallery
Uncool Gallery is an artist-run space managed as a member council, following a unique self-management model. This council actively makes decisions regarding the gallery's projects, positioning, and partnerships. Structured as an LLC, Uncool Gallery ensures true independence in its governance. The gallery's unwavering commitment to fostering meaningful connections and driving collaborative projects is at the core of its philosophy. With its strategic location across from the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the gallery serves as a dynamic hub for artistic expression and exhibition.

Silvia Balady
Balady Comunicação
+55 11 99117-7324
silvia@balady.com.br
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