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Alex da Silva

Alta California

Alta California

$3,200
$3,200
Sale Sold

"Alta California" captures the moment European eyes first beheld the shores of what is now California. Through layers of oil and acrylic, da Silva reimagines the 1542 expedition of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, whose search for wealth and conquest led him along the Pacific coast. The Spaniards, driven by their motto - "For God, for Gold, for Glory" - found no grand cities to plunder, only small native communities sustained by the land and sea.

With a composition that blurs time and perspective, da Silva distills history into a dreamlike tableau, where the ambitions of empire meet the vast, untamed landscape. The painting stands as a counterpoint to "The Big Sea Bird," shifting the narrative to the Conquistadors’ point of view. While one piece recalls the indigenous experience of first contact, "Alta California" presents the journey of those who sought to claim a land they barely understood - a land that would ultimately outlast them.

Details

  • Type: Painting
  • Year: 2025
  • Material & Medium: Acrylic & oil on linen canvas
  • Size: 40 x 40 inches (excluding frame)
  • Ready to Hang: Yes
  • Frame: Included
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About Alex da Silva

Alex da Silva, born in São Paulo, Brazil, in the early 1970s, grew up immersed in the textures and imagery of an artistic world. His father, a renowned painter and art critic, introduced him to painting at an early age, while his mother, a pillar of strength, guided him through the challenges of his father's declining health. Childhood memories of long bus rides, cluttered studios, the scent of turpentine, and coastal landscapes left an indelible mark on his artistic vision. These experiences, infused with symbolism and restless energy, continue to shape his work today.

Now based in Oakland, CA, da Silva explores themes of memory, place, and transformation in his paintings. His work is not driven by nostalgia but by a search for connections - questioning established narratives, the way people occupy spaces, and the impact of both human and natural forces on the landscape. With a deep awareness of history, his compositions serve as both personal and collective inquiries, reflecting on the past to better understand the present.

LOCATION: Oakland, CA

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