CAROUSEL
Oil on Paper
20" x 26" (50cm x 65cm)
Daniel Tavares was born in 1970 in Minas Gerais, Brazil. He is an internationally renowned artist, who has participated in more than 120 exhibitions around the world.
Tavares started painting and drawing very early, when he was only 6 years old. “I always painted because of my brother who was an artist and had all his art materials at home. Instead of playing with toys, I guess I started playing with colors. I was also a comic book lover, and the most beloved characters were reproduced in my works.”
In 1986, when he turned 16 he began an internship as an illustrator at an advertisement agency, which gave wings to his talent. After that, he worked with other publicity agencies and magazines, always as an illustrator. “I was still painting, but it was only a hobby for me. “
In 1997, after 10 years working as an illustrator, Tavares’ life changed upside down with a trip to Europe. He moved to Portugal and his goal was to work in advertising, as always. However, he became very close to artists, who were living in Portugal to enjoy the beautiful climate and the affordable cost of living. "At that moment my life changed and I decided to dedicate myself only to painting even if it compromised my financial gains.”
Tavares’ paintings became a great success and gained international market recognition in 2005, first in Italy. “After 4 years in Italy, my painting has matured, and I was well received by the Italians, I made more than 90 exhibitions all over the country.”
“How can I define my painting? I normally dislike definitions, but the closest I've ever come is that my art is 50% drawing, 50% painting. That's it. It is a visual synthesis of lived experiences reflecting the influence of comic books in my life, incorporating pop art and advertisement graphic influences. The beautiful time I spent in Italy and the lessons from the great Renaissance masters have also had significant influence in my work and life.”
“In addition to being admired, the works of Daniel Tavares demand to be, calmly, properly contemplated, consulted, repeatedly. Since it involves an interactive reading, where the intuition is to complete the image, the emotion to experience the involvement, the reason to discover the meaning.
Each time they will reveal a facet, an icon, an expressive tonality that was hidden in the extreme articulation of the formal and tonal elements present on the screen.”