O Elefante Azul 2002

Curator: Beatriz Milhazes created "O Elefante Azul" in 2002. It’s a mixed-media work, predominantly using acrylic paint. My first impression is joyful chaos! Editor: Absolutely! The riot of color and geometric forms immediately catches the eye. It's like a jubilant celebration painted onto the canvas. But, tell me, what's driving this visual complexity? Curator: Well, Milhazes’ work operates in the crosscurrents of Pattern and Decoration and Postmodernism, pulling from Brazilian popular culture. It references the decorative arts while cleverly dismantling high versus low art hierarchies. Think about how this challenges what "fine art" is supposed to be, who it's for, and where it's displayed. Editor: Exactly! And that dismantling is reflected in the production itself. We should consider the labor and process involved in building up these layers of pattern. It appears as both screen-printed and painted; the meticulous application points towards the tradition of craft. Each shape and design painstakingly added to this visual feast. It's not merely "decorative;" it is asserting value through materiality. Curator: The title is a bit misleading though. I see no elephant! It seems to point to a larger network of meaning for the artist and not necessarily a direct representation. For me, the elephant is a signifier— perhaps referencing political symbols or the history of the nation. Her references are definitely culturally potent. Editor: I am intrigued by the layering effect, I see a real conversation between the applied processes. How do you think this process speaks to the viewer about consumption? Curator: Milhazes provides an abundance that almost mocks our consumer society with the amount of work required, questioning how we engage with both art and material goods. I believe it forces us to ask deeper questions regarding labor and the commodification of culture. Editor: It all leaves a complex but uplifting impression. Curator: Yes. "O Elefante Azul" invites us to reflect not just on what we see, but on the frameworks that define what we consider art.