It is the simple title of a set of works, about 50, by Eurico Santos, which offers us the fluids of the form and pigments that draw his proto-histories, housed in the watery vestige of the technique used, watercolor, as says in his presentation Carlos Valente. In this first solo exhibition, Rita Rodrigues, an art teacher and researcher from the regional directorate of culture and Emanuel Gaspar, coordinator of the Santa Cruz culture house also helped to compose a portrait of the artist and his work, since due to his shyness he did not want to make any comments.
Many of the watercolors of Eurico Santos are versed in nature, there are many trees, turns out to be a recurring theme.
Rita Rodrigues: In this nucleus of watercolors of Eurico Santos we verified that there is an exploration of a poetic and somewhat lyrical language, particularly between the relation of the landscape and nature, we have the observation of Carlos Valente who wrote the text and he makes this reference, The tree, the man, the nature, the human, the life and the time that is perfectly visible in the exploration of this classic work of the artist. On the other hand, he is able to explore the technical and expressive abilities of watercolor, from its transparency and opacity with a very great lightness and delicacy, hiding stories that are fragmented. We later found that the intrinsic narrative discourse between them is merely a plastic exploration of the watercolor itself, which then counts in each painting, on each board, an easy story to be visualized, although there is such a guiding thread between man, landscape and own nature. It is also noted that Eurico Santos has a very interesting capacity of exploration of plasticity and this all reveals, this maturation, this exercise that he was doing over the years of an experience on watercolor, at the bottom there is a dialogue with the technique and the theme that we see expressed in this exhibition.
But why choose watercolor?
RR: It is a personal choice of the artist. For many years he has been working this tecnique, from extremely small drawings to larger supports, so there is a plastic exploration of the very expressiveness of the watercolor. Eurico Santos always liked to talk in a certain way with this technique since high school, it is a course that was slow, made in a rhythm, a speed of work, with a certain serenity and calmness and this can be noticed in the works. It has an essence of the technical domain, but a certain slowness of the exercise of the drawing and this is the Eurico that we knew from young to the present day.
Why did you decide to bring this young artist to the house of Culture?
Emanuel Gaspar: Because I thought you had an interesting work, it is very much linked to his fantastic world, to pateism, but also to his interior, which can be very painful, or even day-to-day. Eurico Santos is a sheltered artist, who loves his universe a lot, lives a lot inside his cocoon and it was very difficult to convince him to exhibit his works, but after insisting many times, because he has many drawings, after some time ended up accessing it. As we have a relationship of friendship I helped him choose the works and he only decided to show them, because he knew me as a person and professional.
When did you choose the works together with the artist what did you consider for this exhibition?
EG: The technique, the works best executed in this sense, and also works that could somehow surprise people more, that could impress, or seduce the observer.
And which of the watercolors made you more excited?
EG: Those who always excite me most are the very strong works, with a background of violence, of this world that is not easy to live. Then he enchanted me with his universe linked to pateism, linked to the love of the stone, or the sea. The very intimate works, linked to the places of abandonment, also seduced me a lot.
Was the guiding line also an initial choice?
EG: There is no guiding thread, despite being a sculptor, he decided to bring these drawings and he paints a stone, a tree, or his inner world. It is in the background moments that he is going through, his day-to-day and what he feels at that moment, has nothing to do with a story, or a journey.
