Os Gêmeos - Latin America New York Thursday, May 23, 2013 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Deitch Projects, New York
    Acquired from the above by the present owner

  • Exhibited

    Miami, Deitch Projects, Special Projects at the Design District, Os Gêmeos,December 1-5, 2005

  • Literature

    P. Alonzo, Os Gêmeos, Berkeley, 2012, p. 30 (illustrated)

  • Catalogue Essay

    Os Gêmeos’ shared artistic vision draws inspiration from their everyday cosmopolitan lives, fused with imagery from rural Brazilian landscapes, urban folklore, and the surreal world of dreams. A major force in public and urban art, Os Gêmeos is the artistic collaboration of identical twin brothers Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo, who began their artistic career twenty years ago as graffiti artists creating large-scale works in the streets of their native São Paulo. Their unique and instantly recognizable style is a combination of a whimsical palette, the use of unsuspecting artistic materials, and surrealist motifs.

    Emblematic of Os Gêmeos’ aesthetic and conceptual approaches, Glass House presents a portrait of a woman staring directly at the viewer, holding a patch of land with a house in her hands as a dog takes refuge under her dress. She is depicted in a bright yellow hue against a yellow, psychedelic sky, which the artists say is the same color present in their dreams. The title of the work suggests the frailty of the woman’s condition— as the dog seeks shelter and protection she, too, needs a safe place. The present lot is a prime example of Os Gêmeos’ distinctive aesthetic and their inimitable style, charged with symbols from their personal mythology.

  • Artist Biography

    Os Gêmeos

    Brazilian • 1974

    Born Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo, Os Gêmeos ('The Twins') are graffiti artists from São Paulo whose style is influenced by both Brazilian tradition and hip hop culture. Their work often features yellow-skinned figures but is otherwise diverse, ranging from interpretations of Brazilian folklore to social and political commentary. With the advent of American hip hop culture in Brazil in the late 1980s, the identical twins became interested in breakdancing. This led them to begin emulating New York graffiti art they had seen in photos before starting to consciously incorporate elements of Brazilian culture into their art and develop their own style. Their creative output graces walls across the world, from Scotland to Los Angeles, and also includes sculptures and installations.

    View More Works

BRAZIL

36

Glass House

2005
acrylic and spray paint on canvas, in artists' painted wood frame
71 3/4 x 56 in. (182.2 x 142.2 cm.)

Estimate
$80,000 - 120,000 

Sold for $149,000

Contact Specialist
Henry Allsopp
Worldwide Director, Latin American Art
latinamerica@phillips.com
+ 1 212 940 1216

Latin America

New York 23 May 2013 4pm