artnexus #31

During the course of his long career which began in the late 1960s, José Resende (São Paulo, 1945) has worked with such natural materials as leather, wood, and stones, as well as industrial elements, such as plastic, iron, and steel. His combinations encourage us to reflect on the physical possibilities of these materials in sculptures which reflect without any subterfuge the constructive ambiguity of their components. Yet despite the apparent desire for rationality that was initially evident in his production, Resende has constantly expressed his own subjectivity in the manner in which he articulates such diverse materials. The sculptures of Jose Resende reveal his interest in exploring the possibilities of space through the use of various materials worked with considerable formal rigor.

The constant discovery of the potential of matter becomes a means of achieving the concept of line in movement which is characteristic of all his work.

This interplay between rationality and subjectivism can be seen not only in his small pieces but in his urban sculptures, where forceful industrial resources are combined with unexpected materials, illustrating the pragmatic way in which the artist works.

IVONNE PINI