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Alex da Silva

Looking for Auspicious Beginnings

Looking for Auspicious Beginnings

$2,600
$2,600
Sale Sold

In "Looking for Auspicious Beginnings," da Silva reflects on the restless nature of place and memory, drawn from the history of his own neighborhood in Alameda, CA. The house next door - the oldest on the island - was built on the East Coast, shipped around the tip of South America, and reassembled in 1858. Decades later, it was uprooted again, rotated to face a new street, and pushed back to create new lots - one of which became home to da Silva himself.

This painting was sparked by an old photograph, its origins unknown, yet something about it felt immediately familiar. Like da Silva's neighbor’s house, it suggested a quiet defiance of permanence - a reminder that even the most traditional structures sometimes have a journey of their own. Through layered paint and softened edges, da Silva blurs the boundary between past and present, reflecting on how homes, like histories, are never as fixed as they seem.

Details

  • Type: Painting
  • Year: 2024
  • Material & Medium: Acrylic & oil on canvas
  • Size: 3 x 3 feet (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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