Menau: Art is the way
Élsio Menau is an artist who has developed his work in Street Art, one of the manifestations of Public Art. This makes us wonder, after all, what is Public Art? What is the need for Art to intervene in spaces so saturated with visual information? The concept of Public Art is something that is always under discussion due to the fact that Art becomes the center of everyday reality, as it penetrates the urban fabric, at the same time that it invades a space that belongs to common. Public Art is a historically established term, with several manifestations throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, always related to a fundamental principle: to intervene in the urban space is a political attitude. It is an act that affects the surrounding community. Contemporary society lives in a state of psychastenia: loss of spatial limits. There is a growing disturbance in the relationship between the self and the territory that surrounds it. Our organism can hardly trace the coordinates that divide the space of real experience with that of virtual experience. Space and representation merge. In addition to new teletechnologies, which compress and alter our spatio-temporal relationship, cities have become open-air galleries, where different advertisements, wires, lights, posters, shop windows and many other elements promote a sensory saturation in which the body , to defend itself, it is metamorphosed and confused with the space that it inserts. For this reason, the issue of space has been a constant among contemporary artists.
“The human being is a thinking creature, but his great works are realized when he does not think or calculate. After long years of training in the art of self-forgetfulness, the goal is to recover the” childhood stage ” Once reached, the person thinks, although not thinking, thinks like the rain that falls from the sky, thinks like the waves rising from the sea, thinks like the stars that light up the night sky, like the green foliage that breaks under the sweetness of the spring breeze. In fact, he himself is rain, the sea, the stars, the green. “
Daisetz T. Susuki
It is necessary to promote a new cartography, recreate this saturated space and appropriate it, (re) create the necessary borders for the gaze to see again. For Art to be, again, a gesture of intervention and provocation. It is in this sense that Menau wants to act: on the one hand, leaving the streets and taking Street Art into the galleries, thus reversing the sense of space and transforming his works into a continuous project that belongs, simultaneously, to the public and the private and who never loses the ability to provoke, to look away, to force people to stop to SEE.
TAO was not just the name that the artist chose for one of his exhibitions.
It is a declaration of principles by a multifaceted artist who seeks, with each new work, to return to the beginning by following different paths. After mastering a technique, the artist continually tries out new formats, materials and supports without, however, losing sight of his primary brand and his path. Menau, the artist, is in a constant process of experimentation and the artist’s body is confused with the work he performs. Art and artist look for the space between things, look for the path that naturally leads them to their origins, to a perfect encounter between creature and creator. If you achieve this feat, it will consummate your destiny. To return to the origins is to meet NADA: which is everything that devours and makes you be reborn.
Mirian Tavares
BIO
Élsio Menau, born and raised in Quarteira (1984).
Starts his artistic journey through drawing and sand sculptures in 1993,
then expanding his creativity to walls through graffiti in 1999.
Founder of the artistic collective Policromia crew (2001).
He graduated professionally in Design and Communication in 2003 and completed his studies in Visual Arts at the University of Algarve in 2012, in the same year he founded the Policromia Associação Cultural.
He starts working as a large-format sculptor in 2014 and today coordinates the artistic production of the Quarteira Carnival floats.
He opened the doors of his first gallery/studio “Artemosfera” in Porches village in 2014, moving the concept a year later to the city of Faro with the name of “PAC studios” and the gallery “Farpa Lab”, which he would later base. in 2020 in the city of Quarteira, municipality of Loulé.
His artistic identity is linked to Graffiti and contemporary art.
Her biggest source of inspiration is her child, nature, the Universe, energies and their environments, mirroring in her works the polychrome she loves so much.
Currently his work is delineated through the techniques of painting, mural painting, sculpture, illustration and installation, more recently he has ventured into the world of collectible toy art.
Menau: A Arte é o caminho
Élsio Menau é um artista que tem desenvolvido o seu trabalho na Street Art, uma das manifestações da Arte Pública. O que nos leva a perguntar, afinal o que é Arte Pública? Qual a necessidade de a Arte intervir em espaços tão saturados de informações visuais? O conceito de Arte Pública é algo que está sempre em discussão pelo facto de a Arte tornar-se o centro da realidade quotidiana, ao penetrar no tecido urbano, ao mesmo tempo que invade um espaço que é de pertença comum. Arte Pública é um termo historicamente consagrado, com diversas manifestações ao longo dos séculos XX e XXI, sempre relacionado a um princípio fundamental: intervir no espaço urbano é uma atitude política. É um ato que afeta a comunidade envolvente. A sociedade contemporânea vive num estado de psicastenia: perda dos limites espaciais. Há uma crescente perturbação da relação entre o eu e o território que o rodeia. O nosso organismo, dificilmente, consegue traçar as coordenadas que dividem o espaço da experiência real com o da experiência virtual. Espaço e representação se (con)fundem. Além das novas teletecnologias, que comprimem e alteram a nossa relação espácio-temporal, as cidades converteram-se em galerias a céu aberto, onde anúncios diversos, fios, luzes, cartazes, montras e muitos outros elementos promovem uma saturação sensorial em que o corpo, para se defender, metamorfoseia-se e confunde-se com o espaço que palmilha. Por isto a questão do espaço tem sido uma constante entre os artistas contemporâneos.
Daisetz T. Susuki
Élsio Menau, nascido e criado em Quarteira (1984).
Inicia a sua jornada artística através do desenho e das esculturas na areia em 1993,
expandindo depois a sua criatividade para as paredes através do graffiti em 1999.
Fundador do colectivo de artístico Policromia crew (2001).
Forma-se profissionalmente em Design e Comunicação em 2003 e Conclui os seus estudos em Artes Visuais pela Universidade do Algarve em 2012, no mesmo ano funda a Policromia Associação Cultural.
Começa a trabalhar como escultor de grande formato em 2014 e hoje coordena a produção artística dos carros alegóricos do Carnaval de Quarteira.
Abre portas da sua primeira galeria/atelier “Artemosfera” na vila Porches em 2014, movendo o conceito um ano mais tarde para a cidade de Faro com o nome de “PAC studios” e a galeria “Farpa Lab”, que viria a basear-se em 2020 na cidade de Quarteira, concelho de Loulé.
A sua identidade artística surge vinculada ao Graffiti e a Arte contemporânea.
Sua maior fonte de inspiração é o seu filho, a natureza, o Universo, as energias e seus ambientes, espelhando nas suas obras a policromia que tanto adora.
Actualmente o seu trabalho é delineado através das técnicas de pintura, pintura mural, escultura, ilustração e instalação, mais recentemente tem se aventurado pelo mundo das artes dos brinquedos de colecção.
2012 ” GRADUATION – Visual Arts Universidade do Algarve – Faro, Portugal
2011 ” DESIGN & WEBDESIGN – Oxicela – Quarteira, PORTUGAL
2009 ” COMMUNICATION & DESIGN – Direct2 – VILAMOURA, PORTUGAL
2007 ” ADVERTISING & SERVICES – Viniconsta – QUARTEIRA, PORTUGAL
2001 ” VISUAL ARTS – High School Drª Laura Ayres – QUARTEIRA, PORTUGAL
2023
GROUP EXHIBITION – ARTITUDE URBANA – IPDJ // FARO – PORTUGAL
SOLO EXHIBITION – “JANELA COLORIDA” BRAVA PROPERTIES // VILAMOURA – PORTUGAL
2022
GROUP EXHIBITION – “ONEROOTONEARTIST” – AKUTIGA // PARIS – FRANÇA
2021
SOLO EXHIBITION – “IMAGINÁRIO” – PRAÇA DO MAR // QUARTEIRA – PORTUGAL
2019
GROUP EXHIBITION – “TÁBUA RAZA” – CECAL // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
2016
GROUP EXHIBITION – “TOREE DE BABEL” – Festival Med // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “QUEM NOS ESCREVE DESDE A SERRA” – Zona ribeirinha de SILVES – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “OILGARVE” – ESPAÇO + // ALJEZUR – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “QUEM NOS ESCREVE DESDE A SERRA” – Avenida José da Costa Mealha // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
2015
GROUP EXHIBITION – “99% BLACK FRIDAY” – FARPA LAB // FARO – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “ESTÉTICA DO EFÉMERO” – Atrium centro criativo // FARO – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “OILGARVE” – Biblioteca Álvaro de Campos // TAVIRA – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “OILGARVE” – FARPA LAB // FARO – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “CONVERSAÇÕES” – Festival Med // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “2020” – UALG – Universidade do Algarve // FARO – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “25 + 21” – Palácio Tenente // FARO – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “QUEM NOS ESCREVE DESDE A SERRA” – Museu Nacional de Arqueologia // LISBOA – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “WELCOME” – FARPA LAB // FARO – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “MINHA FUKUSHIMA” – Biblioteca José Mariano Gago // OLHÃO – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “MINHA FUKUSHIMA” // SANTA BÁRBARA – PORTUGAL
2014
SOLO EXHIBITION – “SOCIEDADE TRISTE” – Galeria praça do Mar // QUARTEIRA – PORTUGAL
SOLO EXHIBITION – “S.O.S. PORTUGAL” – CECAL // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “MINHA FUKUSHIMA” – Mercado Municipal de FARO – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “OPEN XI” – Galeria Arte Algarve // LAGOA – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “O TEATRO DOS SONHOS” – Festival Med // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “ALFA” – Galeria Artemosfera // PORCHES – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “XXV MOSTRA DE ARTES PLÁSTICAS DO CONCELHO DE LOULÉ” – PORTUGAL
SOLO EXHIBITION – “QUEM NOS ESCREVE DESDE A SERRA” – Praça do Mar // QUARTEIRA – PORTUGAL
2013
SOLO EXHIBITION – “TAO” – Galeria Trem // FARO – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – Festival Med // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “A-MAR” – Roftop Mercado Municipal de Faro – PORTUGAL
2012
SOLO EXHIBITION – “UM CHEIRINHO A TRISTEZA” – CECAL // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – ”LIMBO” – Plataforma Revolver // LISBOA – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – Festival Med // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “FINALISTAS DE ARTES VISUAIS DA UALG” – Convento de Santo António de LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
2011
GROUP EXHIBITION – Festival Med // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
GROUP EXHIBITION – “UM OLHAR NU” – Escola Secundária Drª Laura Ayres de QUARTEIRA – PORTUGAL
2009
SOLO EXHIBITION – “UM PASSADO PRESENTE” – Associação Recreativa de OLHÃO – PORTUGAL
SOLO EXHIBITION – “ONECAP” – DEJAVU // VILAMOURA – PORTUGAL
2008
GROUP EXHIBITION – “IMPLANTAÇÃO DA (RAPÚBLICA)” // ALBUFEIRA – PORTUGAL
2023
ARTIST AND FLEAS MARKET – JARDIM FORUM ALGARVE // FARO – PORTUGAL
ARTIST AND FLEAS MARKET – JARDIM PATRAO JOAQUIM LOPES // OLHAO – PORTUGAL
2022
ESCOLA DR. ANTÓNIO DE SOUSA AGOSTINHO // ALMANCIL – PORTUGAL
2021
LOURES ARTE PÚBLICA // SACAVÉM – PORTUGAL
LAP – Comemorações do 25 de Abril de 1974 // PINHEIRO DE LOURES – PORTUGAL
2020
À MODA QUARTEIRENSE – JFQ // QUARTEIRA – PORTUGAL
2019
LOURES ARTE PÚBLICA – Quinta do Mocho // SACÁVEM – PORTUGAL
2018
FUSOS – Festival de fusões artísticas // ALTE – PORTUGAL
MEETING OF STYLES // PRISTINA – KOSOVO
2016
WATT? – Fundação EDP // S.B.MESSINES – PORTUGAL
WATT? – Fundação EDP // ALTE – PORTUGAL
FESTIVAL SOM RISCADO // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
2015
3º GRAFFITI MEETING OUTDOORS – Mercado Municipal de FARO – PORTUGAL
WAKE UP SOTAVENTO // MONTE GORDO – PORTUGAL
2014
REPTO – Forum Algarve // FARO – PORTUGAL
MARE FUNTASTIC // QUARTEIRA – PORTUGAL
2º FESTIVAL DAS CORES // SANTO ANDRÉ – PORTUGAL
2º GRAFFITI MEETING OUTDOORS // QUARTEIRA – PORTUGAL
BAY ART FEST // ARMAÇÃO DE PERA – PORTUGAL
CONTEST – 3ª Convenção Urban Expression // FARO – PORTUGAL (Jury)
2013
1º GRAFFITI MEETING OUTDOORS // QUARTEIRA – PORTUGAL
URBAN INTERVENTIONS – 1st International Conference// ACHADA, LISBOA – PORTUGAL
CONTEST – 2ª Convenção Urban Expression // FARO – PORTUGAL (Jury)
NOITE BRANCA // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
ZEFA – Centro de Arte Contemporânea // ALMANCIL – PORTUGAL
2012
ASMAL – Baixa de FARO – PORTUGAL
CONTEST – Faro Jovem // FARO – PORTUGAL
2010
SEIXAL GRAFFITI // SEIXAL – PORTUGAL
TERTÚLIA – Associação Sócio-cultural de ALJEZUR – PORTUGAL
PIEC – Programa para inclusão e cidadania // LOULÉ – PORTUGAL
2009
MEETING OF STYLES // SEIXAL – PORTUGAL
INAUGURAÇÃO SKATE PARQUE FARO – PORTUGAL
2008
JUST WRITTING MY NAME – Casa da Musica // PORTO – PORTUGAL
ESTILOS QUENTES – NISART // NISA – PORTUGAL
SEMANA DA JUVENTUDE DE ALJEZUR – PORTUGAL
CONTEST – GRAFFITI ON FIRE // BOMBEIROS MUNICIPAIS DE ALBUFEIRA – PORTUGAL (Jury)
2007
CONTEST – OEIRAS GRAFFITI // OEIRAS – PORTUGAL
JAM ARTE E MUSICA // SEVILHA – SPAIN
ESTILOS QUENTES // ÉVORA – PORTUGAL
SEMANA DA JUVENTUDE DE VILAREAL – PORTUGAL
2006
SEIXAL GRAFFITI // SEIXAL – PORTUGAL
ORANGE JAM // PALMA DEL RIO – SPAIN
MOSA GRAFFITI // ALMADA – PORTUGAL
ESTILOS QUENTES // ÉVORA – PORTUGAL
CONTEST – GRAFFITI ART // FUSETA – PORTUGAL
CONTEST – GRAFFITI PINTURA HIPHOP // ARMAÇÃO DE PERA – PORTUGAL
CONTEST – GRAFFITI 25 DE ABRIL // FARO – PORTUGAL
CONTEST – GRAFFITI 24 HORAS // FARO – PORTUGAL
2005
CONTEST – GRAFFITI 25 DE ABRIL // FARO – PORTUGAL
SEMANA DA JUVENTUDE DE LAGOA – PORTUGAL
ASSOCIAÇÃO R.C. MUSICOS DE FARO – PORTUGAL
ESTILOS QUENTES // ÉVORA – PORTUGAL
2004
CONTEST – OEIRAS GRAFFITI // OEIRAS – PORTUGAL
CONTEST – GRANDE PRÉMIO GRAFFITI // ARMAÇÃO DE PERA – PORTUGAL
ESCOLA E.B 2 E 3 OLHÃO – PORTUGAL
2003
FUNDAÇÃO ANTÓNIO ALEIXO // QUARTEIRA – PORTUGAL