In 2008, eight young artists in Sao Paulo formed the group 2000e8. They presented one unified show, supervised and curated by an important artist from the 80s, Paulo Pasta. Just like Pasta and his colleagues at the time, these artists played major roles by bringing painting back into the spotlight in Brazil. Among them are Ana Elisa Egreja and Rodrigo Bivar, two of the artists in this exhibition.

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Rodrigo Bivar makes the kind of art one can cry and smile over, sometimes both at the same time. Remember the past or forget the present; relax after a long day or get ready for a long night. With themes such as ‘a walk in the countryside’ or ‘a regular student’s day’, just to mention a few, Bivar portrays the lives and environments around him -- which, in fact, could be around anybody -- which is one of the reasons why the public connects with the artworks. They resemble scenes one could be part of, or perhaps even were, triggering a nostalgic feeling that could lead to a wide range of other emotions. The oil paintings portray original photographs, but the artist has no intention to reflect reality - quite the contrary. The photos are supposed to instigate new possibilities for his paintings. From these photographic perspectives, the viewer could take the place of a voyeur, a tourist, or a wanderer; at this point, one notices one of Bivar’s main influences: Manet.

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The photographic angles, in addition to the physical aspects of the paintings, help structure the intimate aesthetic of the works. The colors and lines on the canvas are always smooth; discreet tones and light brushstrokes give the painting an informal and fresh aspect, as if Bivar were applying watercolors minutes before the show. Still, there is something odd about these scenarios...Could it be that the comfort zone eventually might become uncomfortable? The same source of tranquility also points to instability: the cloudiness found on the objects functions like a bubble of serenity, in which everything is fine for the time being, but it all could burst in a matter of seconds. The uncanny comes again in the form of mysterious figures in bizarre situations in some of the artist’s recent paintings; as if one of Martin Kippenberger’s characters had gone into a Peter Doig landscape. This mix of fantasy and reality functions like an open book, and Bivar - a fan of literature himself - leaves the conclusion to the imagination of the public.

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These are the stories that change from one person to another. There is no right or wrong, only different points of view, just like life. And there is nothing more Brazilian than contemplating life. Be it in a 90 minute soccer match, through a long weekend on the beach, or quickly having a coffee with friends. It is all about joy: life is supposed to be pleasant, and the uncertainty of the future is part of it. Sometimes though, people forget how simple and poetic life can be. That is when artists like Rodrigo Bivar step in, to remind us of the value of the single moments in our weird journeys.

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Um minuto e uma gota (One minute and one drop) is the portrait of a typical family afternoon at the beach. Rodrigo Bivar shows one of Brazilians favorite pastimes. Every minute and every drop is valuable in this scenario; time and pleasure can be scarce sometimes. Regardless of the painting’s theme, the artist is mostly concerned with the aesthetic composition on the canvas: the shapes and colors inside the context.