Through the employment of sculpture, performance, photography, and video, Gustavo Prado’s work is, predominantly, devoted to the exploration of various aspects of space—whether real or formal—and to the complexities inherent in the act of gazing. It is an inquiry on a series of notions that are both intrinsic and extraneous to the field of art, such as surveillance, appropriation, voyeurism, artificial intelligence, narcissism, information overload, right to privacy, and self-identity.
For 1001 Avenue of the Americas, Prado’s metal and mirror sculpture pulls inspiration from the lobby’s curves while simultaneously reflecting the stone and wood materials therein. The work both enhances the space and embraces the existing unique architectural features. The installation also adds a sense of movement and energy to its placement, imparting a level of interaction where previously there was a void in foot traffic.
The mirrors of the installation help to bring natural light from outside into the lobby, creating a cohesive feeling between exterior and interior. Additionally, the sculpture transforms over the course of the day, and from season to season, as the natural daylight moves and changes. As such, the installation is never exactly the same each time it’s considered.
Prado was born in São Paulo in 1981. He studied Philosophy and Industrial Design and received his artistic training at the School of Visual Arts of Parque Lage in Rio de Janeiro. Prado is a recipient of the “Projéteis” Contemporary Art Award by the Brazil’s National Foundation for the Arts (Funarte). He represented his country in “The Year of Brazil in France” as part of a larger exhibition at the “Le Carreau du Temple,” Paris. Prado’s work is among the permanent collection of the Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro (MAM-Rio), and he recently presented a large installation at the Coachella Music Festival in California.