Andre Saraiva: Love Letters, Half Gallery, NY

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Bambi

Coinciding with the Fashion Week festivities, Andre Saraiva’s first solo exhibition updates his graffiti-heavy artistic repertoire with stylish reincarnations of old world poetry, lending a little love to the city of New York.

Known best for his street art incarnation ‘Mr. A’, whose cartoon face and stick-figure body became recognised internationally after it featured in Banksy’s cinematic debut, Exit Through The Gift Shop, Andre Saraiva has demonstrated a new facet to his artistic talents. Love Letters opened last week at Half Gallery, NY and though there isn’t much to be considered ‘hard’ about his graffiti persona, Saraiva has definitely uncovered a romantic side with his latest works.

Painted on stationary and directly onto French mailboxes in a throwback to his earlier practises as a graffiti artist in Paris, the illustrative quality of his work is humble and sweet, and yet his talent as a fine artist is demonstrable. The show is described as a “somewhat anachronistic celebration of communication” and I always find it exciting when an artist emerges with work that defies audience expectations and belies their public persona.

Saraiva’s work is always playful, but there is a softness here, and if you’re lucky enough to be in New York before March 3, I urge you to check it out.