Enivo, an Afrofuturist artist, and Simon Watson, curator of Enivo’s “Eyes of The Street” exhibit, will be having a conversation about the artist and the importance of residency for artists. The two of them will discuss key topics about the New York art scene, the artist’s connections with communities and collectors, and the relationship between the artist and the art curator.

Enivo paints in an Afrofuturism style and his vibrantly colored oil paintings and neon “magical wall” drawings are inspired by the funk and urban scenes of people living in the humble neighborhoods of Brazil. Enivo’s work interprets urban street scenes chronicling the arc of black youth, the homeless, and the downtrodden who, despite their circumstances, embody a feeling of hope for the future and happiness in the present.

In Enivo’s words: “I am an interpreter of our time, I perpetuate urban scenes of the current reality, street culture, youth, black protagonism and the sad reality of people who are homeless who nonetheless have a feeling of hope through solidarity and affection that people get from each other”.

"Simon Watson is a multi-disciplinary curator who is passionate about Brazil’s creative and cultural vibrancy, having curated and written about numerous Brazilian artists. He recently curated the National Museum and Sacred Art Museum exhibits.

After the talk, cocktails and live music with Josue Caceres and his saxophone will follow in the gallery.

Enivo’s canvases will be on display on the walls of the Brazilian Consulate until the end of February.

About Enivo

Marcus Vinícius Teixeira Ramos da Silva (known as Enivo) was born in 1986 in the Grajaú neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil. By the age of 12, with a spray can in hand, he started making graffiti on the city’s streets. Over the years his more than 20,000 street images and complex lively figures that comment on urban life have been found not just in the streets of Sao Paulo but throughout Brazil. Enivo’s works have been presented in individual and collective gallery exhibitions as well as in institutions such as the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, Museu de Arte Sacra de São Paulo, and the National Museum, Brasília.

Enivo’s most recent works such as “My friend Sliks” — a 15-story mural painting in the heart of São Paulo commissioned by the mayor — and his Rainbow Warrior studio paintings have honed in on an Afro-futurism that combines the performative impulses and images of the streets with his Afro-Brazilian origins, a consciousness of Indigenous people’s ongoing contributions to Brazilian culture, and our digitally connected global awareness. His Instagram is @enivo

About Simon Watson

Simon Watson is an independent curator and art educator based in New York and São Paulo. A veteran of the contemporary art scene on three continents, Watson has conceived and curated more than 300 art exhibitions for galleries and museums and has consulted art collecting programs for numerous institutional and private clients. Watson’s curatorial expertise is identifying visual artists with exceptional potential, many of whom are now internationally recognized in the blue-chip category and are represented by some of the most famous and respected galleries in the world. Since 1994 when Watson staged Tunga’s first North American solo exhibition, he has been passionately committed to presenting outstanding Brazilian visual artists. His Instagram is @simonwatsonarts

Time: 6:00 PM — 8:30 PM EST

Free!

Registration