“Foreign Colours” will offer art enthusiasts a glimpse into the vibrant palette, memories
and stories of the captivating world of Luciana Mariano’s naive art. This genre of art,
characterized by its childlike simplicity and bold use of colors, has been the instrument of
her expression, since very early childhood. Her fascination about stories become paintings
full of details and small hidden elements that helps to show and share cultural similarities
and differences from the other side of the planet, from her earlier life in Brazil.
Inspired from her upbringing in South America’s biggest city and country, Mariano’s
retrospective exhibition will feature a diverse range of artworks that both tell a story and
questions human relationships. ”Foreign Colours” will transport visitors to colorful games
and characters, homes and back yards, beliefs, dreams and happenings, unveiling
symbolisms and feelings that, perhaps, can be found in common to any other culture,
allowing the exchange of experiences and feelings.
As viewers engage with Mariano’s artworks, they will not find the mostly expected features of what Brazilian culture usually appeals to the world. Born and raised in São Paulo, a very
urban city with more than 12 million people and immersed in a very diverse society, her
playful scenes and heartfelt narratives mirror both the rough reality and the daily poetry
that she often found in there. Each piece delivers a tale that is deeply personal to the artist,
while simultaneously transcending cultural boundaries, inviting viewers to explore their own
emotions and perceptions to the world around them. Maybe “Foreign Colors” are not so
foreign after all, specially if we allow ourselves to access and share our own stories and
colors.
About Luciana Mariano:
Luciana Mariano is a Brazilian-Finnish artist born in 1971 in São Paulo, Brazil.
She is third generation of naïve artists in her family. She likes to say that she paints
childhood memories, true and imaginary stories and also some dreams and secrets. Her first
exhibition happened in Brazil in 2008 and since then she has shown her work around the
world and painted over 800 pieces. In Brazil she has many of her images published in books
and pedagogical materials. In 2017 she moved to Finland and last year she became a Finnish
citizen, re-starting for good her career in her new country and home. With her unique artistic style, Mariano has been gradually establishing her career and gaining recognition in Europe, captivating audiences with her storytelling abilities, lively imagination and soon not so foreign colors. In 2018 she had an exhibition in Viljandi, where she fell in love with Estonia and the Estonian people. Now she is absolutely thrilled to be here again, showing for the first time in Tartu.
