Eduardo Santos’ exhibition of new paintings, Memories of Colours are an extension of the
themes present in his previous work.
The artist has dedicated this show to his grandmother, Maria Helena Soares. He takes his
inspiration from childhood memories of sitting by Maria as she sat at her sewing machine,
tirelessly cutting and sewing fabrics. As she worked, she told him fantastic tales and
whimsical stories about hidden lands and mystical forests. Pieces of coloured| fabric would
drift down onto the boy, enveloping him in their greens, blues, pinks and many floral
patterns. Santos recalls the effect was one of coziness and security, enveloped in an
otherworldly, half-invented mystery. He credits his grandmother for planting seeds in his
imagination, which are now blossoming into his mature paintings.
When we look at Santos’ paintings we certainly view them as abstract creations, but they
also may be suggestive of elements in the natural world. We may see hints of foliage, for
instance, or stretches of water; perhaps we might notice grottoes or lagoons within the
swirls and tendrils of abstract marks. Some of the surfaces are crusty, redolent of earth or
rock, while others appear liquid or deliquescent. In some of the works there are suggestions
of cavernous spaces, and we can almost hear our own half-forgotten memories echoing
through the chambers.
These abstract paintings reveal an artist who is forging his own unique path. They are filled
with suggestions of Nature, but they are also infused with the half-dreams and stories
passed down through the generations from grandmother to grandson.
Steve Cox, 2018
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