OS GEMEOS

Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo (1974, São Paulo, Brazil), identical twins better known as Os Gemeos, were pioneers of Brazilian writing in the mid 80s. Aside from the incredible works they’ve created in the streets of São Paulo, in recent years they’ve also been invited to show their creations in museums and in some of the most important art expos worldwide.

Os Gemeos’ distinctive characters, recognizable by their yellow skin and garish clothing embellished with gems and sequins, create delicate portraits of musicians, fishermen, women, and children who populate simple and sensual scenes of Brazilian reality that are melded with imaginary figures conceived in their oneiric universe. The precision of their lines, the delightful details in background landscapes or in the texture of the clothing, generate a sense of amazement and lead us to magical and fairytale-esque places imbued with a subtle and at times melancholic sense of lyricism which touches the soul.

Hailing from the street culture of São Paulo, Os Gemeos’ works gained international recognition and have been exhibited in prestigious cultural events, such as the Bienal de São Paulo in 2001, Cuba’s Havana Biennial in 2006, and in museums worldwide such as: Vertigo, Brazilian Art Museum (MAB-FAAP), São Paulo, Brazil, 2009; Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2009; When Lives Become Form: Creative Power from Brazil, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Japan, 2009; Museu Oscar Niemeyer, Curitiba, Brazil, 2008; Street Art, Tate Modern, London, UK, 2008; Salon National Des Beaux-Arts, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France, 2008; As Flores deste Jardim meus Avós Plantaram, Museum Het Domein Sittard, Sittard, Netherlands; 2007.

Some recent solo exhibitions: Silence of the Music, Lehmann Maupin, New York, NY, 2016; A Opera da lua, Galeria Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo, 2014; ICA - The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, 2012; Miss You, PRISM, Los Angeles, 2012; Fermata, Museu Vale, Espírito Santo, Brasil, 2011; Vertigem, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, 2010; Nos Braços de um Anjo, Galleria Patricia Armocida, Milan, 2010; Pra quem mora lá, o céu é lá, Museu Colecção Berardo, Lisboa, 2010; Vertigem, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, 2009; MAB FAAP - Museu de Arte Brasileira, São Paulo, 2009; Vertigem, Museu Oscar Niemeyer, Curitiba, 2008;Too Far Too Close, Deitch Project Gallery, New York, USA, 2008; Sonhei que tinha sonhando, Galeria Pilar Parra e Romero, Madrid, Spain, 2008; Assum Preto, Galleria Patricia Armocida, Milan, Italy, 2007; O peixe que comia estrelas cadentes, Galeria Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo, Brazil; 2006.

Their artworks have been included in numerous group exhibitions such as: Gigantes por su propria naturaleza, Institut Valéncia d’Art Modern, Valencia, 2011; Art in the Streets, MOCA Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 2011; Personagens e fronteiras: Território Cenográfico Brasileiro, FUNARTE, São Paulo, 2011; Salisbury International Arts Festival, Salisbury, 2011; MUDE - Museu do Design e da Moda de Lisboa, Lisboa, 2011; Prague Quadrennial, Prague, 2011; Kaunas Biennal TEXTILLE 11 – REWIND-PLAY-FORWARD, Kaunas Arte Biennial, Kaunas, 2011; Come As You Are, Prism Galley, Los Angeles, 2010; Viva la Revolucion : A Dialogue with the Urban Landscape, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, San Diego, 2010; 2 Paralela 2010, Liceu de Artes e Ofícios, São Paulo, 2010; When Lives Become Form: Creative Power from Brazil, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima, 2009; Nus [Nudes], Galeria Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo, 2009; The Portrait Show, Durex Arte Contemporânea, Rio de Janeiro, 2009; When Lives Become Form: Creative Power from Brazil, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT), Tokyo, 2008; Imaginary Realities, Max Wigram Gallery, London, 2008; Quando Vidas se tornam Forma: diálogo com o futuro – Brasil -Japão, MAM - Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, 2008; Salon National Des Beaux-Arts, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, 2008; Wakin up Nights, de Pury and Luxembourg, Zurich, 2007; Musée International des Arts Modestes (MIAM), Sète, 2007; Kunsthalle Barmen, Von Der Heydt Museum Wuppertal, 2007; Mundo Animal, Escola São Paulo, São Paulo, 2007; Paralela 2006, São Paulo, Brasil 9º Bienal de la Habana, Havana, 2006; Spank the Monkey, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, 2006; Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture, Triennale di Milano, Milan; 2006; Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture, Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach, 2005. PUBBLICATIONSNos Braços de um AnjoAsuum Preto EXHIBITIONSCONTEMPORANEA- Calendario FontegraficaNos Braços de um AnjoAssum Preto.