Vilma Gold is pleased to present the first London solo exhibition by Alexandre da Cunha. Entitled Colorama the exhibition comprises of new sculpture and wall-based works.

As part of the 50th Venice Biennale, in 2003, Alexandre da Cunha presented a group of sculptures constructed from simple domestic objects, such as brooms, mops and sleeping bags. Each of these utilitarian objects was stripped of its original use value and combined to form a series of makeshift shelters and abodes. Da Cunha’s work appeared as an attempt to mimic the zoo-like structure offered by the international biennale as a temporary home for conflated exotic geographical provinces. Colorama sees da Cunha continue his interest in the manipulation of elements reclaimed from low, folk and mass culture. However rather than re-presenting utilitarian objects in a metamorphosed but equally utilitarian state these quotidian elements are now presented as rarefied and discreet works of art.

For Colorama da Cunha will display a series of flowerpots formed from worn out car tyres and wheels. Whilst this type of reclamation is commonly practiced in South America it is unusual to find examples decorated in patterns and motifs that reference high-modernist art. In a similar transformation Colorama will also include wall-based works that masquerade as abstract geometric painting. Each of these works has been carefully crafted from fabrics taken from deck chairs and rugs. The result can be seen as a movement from mass culture to high art in the snip of a pair of scissors. The final element of Colorama will be a series of framed paper works depicting icons from Brazilian popular culture. Da Cunha purchased the works on paper from street traders in Sao Paulo who use the paper to illustrate cheap products that transfer magazine images to t-shirts. From the 100 or so that Da Cunha purchased only a small selection have survived a filtering process judged on grounds of their composition and aesthetics value.

Da Cunha was born in Brazil and left the country 7 years ago. His work often presents the viewer with a notion of the exotic played out through the micro-economies found in the poorer districts of his native country. In general the objects he appropriates are those that have fallen out of the mainstream economy – objects that now transgress specific use and are traded on the street and in flea markets and junkshops. To date da Cunha’s work has reinvested these prosaic semi-retired objects with a sense of purpose such as the hockey stick that becomes a crutch or the old t-shirts and golf clubs that become a tent.

Alexandre da Cunha lives and works in London. His work has been exhibited widely internationally in both museums and galleries. In 2003 Alexandre da Cunha participated in the 50th Venice Biennale. Amongst other exhibitions this year his work will be included in the 2nd Prague Biennale, Prague followed by a solo museum show at Museu de Arte da Pampulha, Belo Horizonte.