Dioramas
Project statement
A diorama is an artistic method of presenting scenes from real life for educational or entertainment purposes. In this series, each piece illustrates a reflection by the artist. Through multiple layered planes, the works evoke the accumulation of references we build throughout our lives—through our networks and connections—which ultimately define us as individuals.
The works in the Dioramas series are unique, handmade pieces created by the artist using photographs from his archives. The series includes large works over one metre in size, produced in his studio in Madrid. It also deepens the artist’s research into the medium: Where does the power of the photographic image come from? How can art be democratised? He uses traditional, reproducible photography as a starting point and transforms it into a unique three-dimensional object that comes alive beyond the frame. The viewer’s eye travels through multiple images and layers, creating a fantastical universe that is both hypnotic and stimulating.
In his approach, the artist combines the Japanese technique of *oshie*—a sophisticated method of cutting kimono fabrics to create patchwork-like pictures—with childhood memories. The padded fabrics create a volume that recalls the living room in his parents’ home in São Paulo. Each work has a unique, personal story, yet one that opens a dialogue with the public.
