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OF VISUAL ARTIST JOÃO DELFIM
PRINTMAKING / ART DIRECTION / VIDEO / POETRY
Born and raised in Portugal, I grew up encircled by many traditions, manifesting in different forms — from holiday rituals to house decorations, to everyday objects. I often reminisce on how my grandmothers would spend their days doing crochet, creating these captivating patterns with bright white thread meant to cover our tables, chairs, and beds. Though this process of creating textiles isn’t exclusive to Portuguese culture, to me, it still serves as a powerful tool to rewind time and dive back into my days of boyhood. It seemed only fitting for me to include it in my artwork at some point.
The series of prints Like a Waterfall, You Came plays on the oxymoron between sensuality and tradition, heavily portrayed in Ryan Murphy’s newest addition to his Horror TV catalogue, Grotesquerie. I created this ensemble as a homage to Nicholas Alexander Chavez’s steamy portrayal of Father Charlie — that got me through a hard-working Spooky Season this year — and figured I would bring some of my childhood memories into the mix, thus designing patterns reminiscent of my grandma’s crochet. Lust and souvenirs of faith intertwine in these haunted portraits printed on blood-red paper.
The series of prints Like a Waterfall, You Came plays on the oxymoron between sensuality and tradition, heavily portrayed in Ryan Murphy’s newest addition to his Horror TV catalogue, Grotesquerie. I created this ensemble as a homage to Nicholas Alexander Chavez’s steamy portrayal of Father Charlie — that got me through a hard-working Spooky Season this year — and figured I would bring some of my childhood memories into the mix, thus designing patterns reminiscent of my grandma’s crochet. Lust and souvenirs of faith intertwine in these haunted portraits printed on blood-red paper.
« And what if you enjoy the looking? » — replied Father Charlie when asked about staring evil in the eye. As a fan of the Ryan Murphy shared universe, this quote immediately led me back to the finale of American Horror Story: Asylum in which Sister Jude warns Lana Winters about the dangers of tangling with evil. « Just remember, if you look in the face of evil, evil’s gonna look right back at you. » Murphy’s latest tale of horror Grotesquerie could be seen as a homage to this memorable saying, since it focuses on how exposition to violence and darkness can progressively leave its imprint in one’s mind.
As delightful as it is confusing, this blood-tinted ride juxtaposes a murder-mystery filled with religious imagery and several layers of social commentary. Though the season finale was met with some disappointment for leaving most threads unresolved, I’d like to praise this ten-episode instalment as the strong, bold ensemble it was. The cinematography by Carolina Costa and Blake McClure is absolutely stunning — most of the time, daring — and transports us into a whimsical netherworld that keeps us on the edge of our seats all the way through.
As delightful as it is confusing, this blood-tinted ride juxtaposes a murder-mystery filled with religious imagery and several layers of social commentary. Though the season finale was met with some disappointment for leaving most threads unresolved, I’d like to praise this ten-episode instalment as the strong, bold ensemble it was. The cinematography by Carolina Costa and Blake McClure is absolutely stunning — most of the time, daring — and transports us into a whimsical netherworld that keeps us on the edge of our seats all the way through.
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ALL ARTWORKS ARE ORIGINAL CREATIONS.
© 2024 JOÃO DELFIM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ALL ARTWORKS ARE ORIGINAL CREATIONS.
© 2024 JOÃO DELFIM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.