Born in São Paulo, Rogério Pedro is one of those artists who tried various forms of artistic expression until settling into paintings and murals. His work has been highly influenced by the Modernist Movement, particularly Cubism, which allows him to express himself in figurative paintings in a wide palette of colors, shades, and sensibilities.
His art is vibrant and happy, much as most of the mural art found in São Paulo, a place known as the birthplace for Brazilian mural art. But there’s something more to it, a graffiti technique, a deconstructed language of volumes and shapes, that comes together in a unique and remarkable identity.
It’s no wonder that when it came down to the design of the famous Carnaval in Salvador Bahia, he was elected as one of the top artists. Salvador is a city full of bright colors and contrasting elements, much like Rogério’s art, making it a perfect union from the beginning.
When thinking about the Brazilian Carnaval, most people think of Rio de Janeiro, the parades in the Sambodromo, the cities largest samba schools coming together to put on the performance of a lifetime, and the whole city turning into an extravagant runway of flamboyant costumes and skillful dancers. Then there are the street parties, where the majority of locals prefer to go, rather than to the official samba school parades. The street parties take place over the course of an entire week, putting everything else in the city on pause, while everyone heads to the streets to socialize and dance.
The one in Salvador, on the other hand, doesn’t have any samba parades. Its focus is on a fusion of African and Brazilian pop music, called axé, beautiful art, and a combination of Brazilian and African culture found nowhere else in the world. While Rio’s Carnaval is intense, the colors, art, and dance in the Salvador one are definitely at the next level. Which is exactly where Rogério’s art came in.
When talking to Rogério, he revealed that “The first art I created for Camarote Salvador was to illustrate the main entrance and a huge 80-meter long facade. This art conveys the joy and energy of a “Foliã”, a name given to people who enjoy the Carnival in Brazil. She is an unusual figure with many ornaments on her head reminiscing of Carmen Miranda, a Portuguese singer and actress who was a local icon and an international symbol of Brazil. She had great visibility in her career in the 1930s and 1950s and was considered by Rolling Stone magazine the 15th greatest voice in Brazilian music. The 'Foliã' wears an exotic costume and a hat that exudes impossible things, but in a modern and young language that appeals to the audience of Camarote Salvador.”
In addition to the character on the main façade, Rogério created five more characters representing “Foliões” in different costumes, men and women, with supra-realistic clothes.
The art created by Rogério was printed on more than 1,600 square meters of canvas to cover the walls of Camarote Salvador. His work also became animated graphics displayed on large LED screens installed on the electronic music area and the called “Palco Praia”.
And what’s even more exciting about Rogério’s art is that it not only beautifies murals and Carnivals but can also be purchased to be displayed at home to bring a spot of color and joy to any room.
In Rogério Pedro's work, one can see several influences: from the Modernist Movement such as Di Cavalcanti, Pablo Picasso, Tarsila do Amaral, Victor Brecheret and Candido Portinari. His art can be found in different parts of the world such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Bahia, Miami, New York, Vienna, Buenos Aires, Silicon Valley, France, and Spain.
He is currently working on more than 40 illustrations for a book about Brazilian Folklore that will be released in August 2020.
