Mano Penalva's work is based on the displacement of objects from their
everyday context and reflects the artist's interest in Anthropology and Material
Culture. Using different media such as sculpture, installation, painting,
photography and video, Penalva proposes new aesthetic groupings based on
retail sales strategies, his experiences of collecting stories and his observation of
the field that moves between the Home and the Street. Penalva's work highlights
the idea that the exponential proliferation of objects and images is not intended
to train perception or consciousness, but rather insists on merging us with them.
Penalva holds a bachelor's degree in Social Communication from the Pontifical
Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (2008). He attended free art courses at
Parque Lage for 7 years (2005 - 2011). He is currently part of Massapê Projetos,
a platform managed by artists that enables the thinking and production of art
based in São Paulo, of which he is the founder. In recent years he has
participated in several artistic residencies: Casa Wabi - Puerto Escondido
(Mexico) 2021, Fountainhead Residency - Miami (USA) 2020, LE26by / Felix
Frachon Gallery - Brussels (Belgium) 2019, AnnexB - New York (USA) 2018,
Penthouse Art Residence - Brussels (Belgium) 2018, RAT - Artistic Exchange
Residency - Mexico City (Mexico) 2017, Pop Center - Camelódromo Porto Alegre
(Brazil) 2017.