Renan Cepeda “Light Paintings” 13.10 – 17.11.2007

Cepeda creates a stark contrast between the incidentally present – “natural” – object and an artificially imposed scenery. This contrast emerges as a fantastical motif, which demonstrates the artist’s creative will. Because Cepeda resisted the temptation to indulge in the manipulation of the images (no photoshop), the composition of the picture and its presentation remain true to the simplicity of the object.

Renan Cepeda’s work was awarded third place at the International Agfa Photo Award, 2004.

Renan Cepeda. Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1966, Cepeda started to photograph at the age of 11. he has been a professional photographer since 1987. Renan Cepeda was a staff member of the Brazilian newspaper Jornal do Brasil from 1988 to 1993, having worked in all departments from fashion to hot news, portraits, and large sports events. After leaving Jornal do Brasil, he started working as a free-lancer for the most important Brazilian magazines, including Veja, Época, Isto É, Elle, Exame, and Folha de São Paulo. He was also a correspondent for the French agency Sipa-Presse during the period 1993/95.
Cepeda currently works on personal projects. He has been experimenting with infrared film since 1991, and has developed photo essays using that technique, especially on landscapes. “Pichações” (“Light Graffiti”) is his most recent work, introducing the technique of light painting.
Recent individual exhibitions:

• Galeria Murilo Castro, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, September 2007
• Pinacotheque of São Paulo State, Brazil, March 2007;
• Conjunto Cultural da Caixa, Brasília, Salvador and Curitiba, Brazil, 2006;
• Contemporary Art Museum of Pernambuco, Brazil, July 2006;
• Galeria Arte x Arte, Buenos Aires, Agentina, 2004;
• Galeria Anita Schwartz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2002

Recent group exhibitions:

• Museo de Arte Contemporânea de Rosário, Argentina, 2006;
• Color/Generations – Tepper Takayama Fine Arts, Boston, USA, 2005;
• L’Orangerie Du Thabor, Rennes, France, 2005;
• Santo André Salon, São Paulo, 2005
• Parque Laje, Rio de Janeiro, 2005;
• FUNARTE-SP Salon of National Fundation of Arts, São Paulo, 2005;
• Salon Arte Pará, Belém, Brazil, 2004;
• XXlX Salon of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, 2004;
• X Salon of Bahia, – Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia, Salvador, 2003/2004;
• XVl Salon of Praia Grande, SP, Brazil, 2004;
• Centro Cultural General San Martín, Buenos Aires, 2004;
• “FOTO/3” –– with Rogerio Reis and Fabian, Galeria Anita Schwartz, Rio de Janeiro, 2003;
• 12a Expofoto – Espaço BNDES, Rio de Janeiro, 2002;
• Foto? Arte? – Veiga de Almeida University, Rio de Janeiro, 2002;
• “Transfiguration” Geneve Multimedia Salon, Geneva, Switzerland, 2002;
• “Transfigurations” – Contemporary Photography Collection. Centro Cultural Light, Rio de Janeiro, 2001;

Awards:

• Acquisition-prize of Santo André Salon, 2005;
• Fellowship from Artistic-Historical Patrimony Foundation of Pernambuco State (FUNDARPE) to the project “Pichações”, 2005;
• International Agfa Photo Award for “Pichações”, Germany, 2004.
• Honor mention – 4th Mercocidades International Photography Contest, 2004 ;
• 1st prize – Ministry of Environment/Rio de Janeiro’s Botanic Garden Photo Contest, 2002;
• 2nd prize – Tijuca National Park Photo Contest, 2002;
• 2nd prize – Ministry of Environment/Rio de Janeiro’s Botanic Garden Photo Contest, 2001;
• Honor mention – FUNARTE Brazilian Art foundation Nacional Fellowship Contest, 1998, with project “As Três Chapadas” (The Tree Chapadas);
• Honor mention – FUNARTE Brazilian Art Foundation Nacional Fellowship Contest, 1997, with project “Pichação de Luz” (Painting Light in Landscapes);
• Two prizes at Oceangrafic National Photo Contest from Rio Grande University, Brazil. 1990.

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