‘The Search for an Open Enigma’ at Sharjah Art Foundation presents the work of Antonio Dias, an artist who continuously crossed material and conceptual boundaries to address complex sociopolitical issues.
As the first solo exhibition of Dias’ work in the region, ‘The Search for an Open Enigma’ honours his versatile and subversive art, tracing his trajectory from the 1960s to the late 1990s. Curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, with Reem Sawan as Curatorial Assistant, the exhibition captures the depth of Dias’ multifaceted practice.
The exhibition, titled after Hélio Oiticica’s 1969 analysis of Dias’ open-ended iconography, showcases the artist’s bold imagery, cryptic figuration, and vibrant colors.
On view from 28 September to 8 December 2024 at Al Hamriyah Studios, the exhibition highlights Dias’ early 1960s mixed-media works, which critique the violent military dictatorship in Brazil. He appropriated Brazilian popular culture to comment on violence and censorship.
After arriving in Paris in 1966, Dias lived in self-imposed exile in Europe, spending time in Milan and Cologne. Influenced by Italy’s Arte Povera movement, he embraced conceptualism and the ‘non-image.’ His works from the late 1960s to mid-1970s, the exhibition’s core, feature text-laden monochromatic paintings, geometric installations critiquing art and society, and performative Super 8 film experiments.
In the 1980s, Dias shifted to abstract paintings with metallic pigments, vibrant colours, and dynamic forms. He continued developing his mixed-media installations infused with a biting sense of humour until his passing.
About Antonio Dias
From his debut solo show in Rio de Janeiro in 1962 until his death in 2018, Antonio Dias consistently pushed the boundaries of painting, video, audio, sculpture, and performance. His intellectually rigorous practice explored power dynamics and linguistic complexities while critiquing mass media. Growing up under Brazil’s military dictatorship, Dias began as a draftsman before moving to Paris in 1966, marking the start of his self-exile. Despite avoiding association with any single movement, his legacy intersects with neo-concrete, abstraction, tropicália, and arte povera. His work has been exhibited globally, including at the Venice Biennale and documenta, and is held in major collections like Tate Modern and Guggenheim.
Location: Al Hamriyah Studios, Sharjah
Dates: 28 September to 8 December 2024