“Nirivalele hi kuxwela / Desculpa pelo atraso / Sorry for the delayâ€
“nirivalele hi kuxwela” is an allegory for the time the pandemic took away from us – it was two long years of uncertainty and anxiety – and also plays with the fact that artists have the (not entirely unfounded) connotation of being unpredictable and in trouble with deadlines.
These works are the result of reflections during the time of isolation that we had during the pandemic, and are intended to represent aspects of everyday life, referring to the collective history of Mozambicans, to their dreams, and to explore more intimate elements, related to the darkest side of my own imagination.
The techniques used are inspired by the wood carving tradition present in local cultures to have aesthetic results that resemble woodcuts in alternative materials.
Hugo Mendes is a visual artist who was born and raised in Maputo.
As Mozambique is a country with a very rich and diverse culture, and with a strong tradition in handicrafts and wood carving, Hugo is inspired by these processes. Through his work, he tries to represent aspects of everyday life, referring to the collective history of Mozambicans, to their dreams, and seeking to explore more intimate elements, related to the darkest side of their own imagination. Read More...