Brazilian artist Raphael Sagarra, aka Finok, is inspired by the vibrant culture of his country. His work features elements of traditional kites, religious rituals, and various cultures living within Brazilian borders. The artist looks at the world and people around him, and tries to capture it by incorporating elements that people easily overlook. Even though every piece Finok creates tells a particular story, he always leaves enough space for the viewers to come to their own interpretation. Today the artist's works can be found in several prominent private and public collections, including Museu de Arte Contemporânea de MS in Campo Grande and Museu de Arte do Rio in Rio de Janeiro.
Finok was born in 1985 in São Paulo. The artist draws the key elements in his art from his childhood, filled with games, kytes, and playing soccer. The way he views the world today he contributes to growing up in the neighborhood of Cambuci. In 2002 Finok got introduced to the world of graffiti by kids on the streets, and he was immediately hooked, for as he explains, "I started to value and realize that what the graffiti writers did was very difficult." The renowned Vlok crew noticed his work, and he soon joined them. There he got to work with such masters of the Brazilian graffiti scene as Ise, Coyo, Os Gemeos, Nunca, Remio, and Vino, to name a few.
By 2008-2009, Finok gradually began creating works on canvases. The huge change that came with the shift from working on a large-scale wall to a small-size artwork brought with it the necessity to pay more attention to details. Like all graffiti artists in Brazil, Finok had a favorite color, green. However, as he began experimenting with more details, his color palette expanded. Today he is known worldwide for his rich patterns, vibrant colors, cartoon-like characters, and signature use of symbols. The artist combines spray, acrylic, and latex paint. Besides paintings, Raphael Sagarra also draws on wooden panels with his signature style that incorporates the elements from his graffiti pieces. In 2006 he showcased a work done in collaboration with artist Esra Ersen at 27ª Bienal de São Paulo. In 2012 the artist had his first solo exhibition entitled Finok at Ruttkowski68 Gallery in Cologne, Germany. Over the years, he has collaborated on projects with big brands like Ray Ban and Havaianas.
Raphael Sagarra has, throughout his career, had numerous solo and group shows. In 2022 he had a solo exhibition entitled Liberdade Assistida at Museu de Arte Contemporânea de MS and Subversao at Usina Luis Maluf in Sao Paulo. In 2021 he showcased his work in the solo exhibition Fratura Exposta at Museu de Arte de Blumenau (MAB) and Identity Loss at Stolenspace Gallery in London.
Finok lives and works in Sao Paulo.
Featured image: Finok. Copyright of the artist
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