That instagram post greeted me yesterday morning like LSD-infused espresso. On digging in, I learned about Henrique Oliveira, the Brazilian artist who uses a lot of salvaged wood and other materials to build these incredible things, some of which are gigantic.
The first half of this video shows a bunch of his work, and he talks about a piece he did in Las Vegas:
His website is a fantastic gallery of stuff that would fit well on the set of a Guillermo Del Toro film. There are lots of interviews and videos of him working on installations and discussing his work.
This interview with him is worth reading. He challenges the interviewer, and he pushes back against the concept of ‘eco’ anything:
You will never find me using the adjective “eco” in relation to my works. I don’t use only second-hand materials. I also use a lot of new wood, new materials, sometimes PVC tubes, sometimes foam, and so on. Even where you see salvaged wood, I had to use gas to drive around and collect it. I use paint, screws and all sorts of things. Often there is no destination for my work after a show and so it end up in the trash. Second, I think that the label “eco” today has very little to do with its original meaning. In our society “eco” is intended to add value to products and services. In other words, “eco” sells better.
Some of my favourite stuff of his is the furniture — stuff that looks like it’s been inhabited by some kind of fairy-tale nightmare fuel: