Ricardo Passaporte

Ricardo Passaporte’s (b. 1987, Portugal) uninhibited, acidic and disruptive practice questions the structures that place value on artistic deeds. His work consciously plays with the codes of painting, deftly managing the colors, formats and forms that seduce the consumer’s eye. Motifs of little aesthetic value are replicated in an appropriationist gesture that appeals to us, the same way that soft and sticky cotton candy attracts children at the fairground. In his selection of topics and techniques, in which he frequently uses spray paint, he appeals to the free and easy attitude and aesthetic of graffiti artists. Applying spray paint at a greater distance from the canvas means he has a certain lack of control in the process of creating the images, and therefore leaves room for chance, surprise and joyful gratification. In turn, his paintings feature a specific style of blurring, which softens up the lines, giving his images a dream-like halo.