Alcides Rivas “Untitled, 2018”

Galerie Protégé

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Working within the painting tradition, Alcides Rivas’ most current work is a mixture of subtle elements and absence. This is achieved with the understated assembly of reclaimed fabric, strings, seams, texture, and certain graphics-laden symbolism.

Childhood memories of his grandparent’s mountainside coffee farm inspire the work. The minimalist color and texture of the fabric is reminiscent of the beautiful simplicity of coffee beans drying on a patio. It inspires a certain peacefulness, such as a Zen Garden. This is reflected in the structure and composition of his works. The needlework elements of his work pay homage to Rivas’ mother and grandmother, both of whom were avid seamstresses.

Rivas’ time spent at Architecture school influenced the repeated shapes and structured lines in his work, bringing out the essential quality to achieve simplicity.

Overall, the pieces are a fond remembrance of Rivas’ Venezuelan heritage.