Learn the story behind Geo Alencar Arruda and her striking artwork in “The Colours of Geo”, here on VOICE OF ASIA. As depicted in Passions, Volume 45, owned by The IBR Asia Group.
There is something so starkly different in Geo Alencar Arruda’s art, a child-like gaiety at first that belies the strong force of personality beneath. You are first entranced by the burst of vibrant colours, strongly reminiscent of one of her favourite artists, Gaughin. The red is passion at it’s fiery best, every shade of blue is strong in its various hues – from the coldest of ice blue to the deepest of navy, the yellow is a sparkle of sunshine, the green is luscious Gaia herself, the warm orange envelops you in happiness, making you feel you can smell both tangerine and cinnamon at a whiff and the white is pure, rich vanilla, thick with temptation. It is all about colours with Geo.
“As a person, Geo is sensitive and caring but she is also a dreamer, all traits that influence her art. As an artist he is innovative, she loves to use vivid colours – bold and strong. Her early works are reminiscent of the impressionists, though now the cubist influence is evident – Picasso fascinates her. Here and there, a nostalgic Brazilian inspiration is also present in some of her works, such as when they reminisce of Volpi and Aldemir Martins.”
Osman Morad, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia
“The largest block shaped compositions each defined with distinct colours along with the use of white or pastel yellows creating a central focal point, becomes her unique feature. The eye is drawn to the light which then disperses out to other parts of the canvas while being held together by the strong dark lines.”
Archana Marshall, Gallerist
Then you see the influence of her other inspiration, Van Gogh. The brilliant blocks of colour seem of shape shift, blending into each other at different glances, just like her Cat with Bow, the protagonist seeming to merge into the wildflowers in a perpetual motion of flowers, cat, background …and orange toenails. They float, they sway, and they give that imperceptible shiver when you move your eyes away, to take another shape, a different dimension when you immediately move your eyes back for a double take.
But our favourite was her first attempt on her own without the influence of her teacher, D.J. Oliviero – a poignant, pretty composition showing none of the daring flashes of colour that came with her later works, but perennially beautiful in its composition of pure, shy and very pretty lines and pastel colours. It is the first Geo original, and shows the budding artist in the pupae stages before blossoming into the vibrant, exciting artist who knows exactly what she wants to portray through confident brushstrokes and the strong message of colours.
Working with mediums of oil, egg tempera and beeswax tempera, Geo has come a long way when she used to do patchwork with her father, who looked at his young daughter and said , ‘well, you have a good eye for colour and design, young lady. It will serve you well I hope.’
And it sure has. Although she has travelled the world serving in Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has, for the past three years been in Kuala Lumpur with her husband, the Ambassador of Brazil to Malaysia, HE Sergio Arruda, her passion for art has only gotten stronger, seeing her through three group exhibitions in Brazil and Netherlands, and for the first time, a solo exhibition in Gallery Archana on the 23rd of November to a full house of supporters and well-wishers.
As our eyes rest on the paintings and then on the artist, we understand that the Geo’s art is merely a manifestation of her. You see the easy smile, the warm embrace, the kiss of life, the happiness, the confidence, the daring to be different, the childlike glee, the effervescent outreach in all the art on the walls of Gallery Archana.
And it is all quintessentially Geo.
