Clara Fialho

In her abstract paintings, artist Clara Fialho explores the relationship between form and color to illustrate theoretical concepts and spaces. Born in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and based in New York, Fialho works with different types of painting and drawing implements, combining pigments, shapes, and textures in compositions of various sizes. Influenced by surrealism, Fialho considers color and form as tools that map invisible forces and realms. Bright and energizing hues of orange, yellow, and blue embrace beauty and desire. Fialho describes the major themes of her artwork as the “unconscious, impermanence, relationships, unity, the universe, nature, dreams, and love.” Her dreamlike paintings bring to mind earth, planets, humankind, animals, insects, and stars.

Fialho explains, "My artwork is intended to take the viewer away from the world of thought. Most of the time it is process oriented, sometimes containing elements from dreams. It reveals universal forms, which are believed to be innately present in every human being. I feel the need to show these elements in order to bring them about. They are often the product of a personal disenchantment with the material world around me. Art, being a reaction to society, has the potential to serve as its mirror, and at the same time, point towards what is behind it, towards what is needed: happiness, unity, freedom, love… Hopefully, depending on one’s willingness and aptitude to be guided by their sensations, my artwork will take one away from what is present in their short term memories, beyond reason and the frustrations that come from our senseless desire to become independent of each other. Most importantly, it should leave them with something positive”.

Fialho (American, b. Brazil, 1984) is a New York-based artist. She received her BFA from the Cooper Union on a full merit scholarship and had her first solo exhibition in Chelsea at age 22. Since then, she has been exhibiting extensively throughout the country and abroad. Her artwork has been featured in numerous publications including the New York Times and the cover of New York Spaces Magazine.

View Clara's artwork in the exhibit Light Weight.