CHROMAZONE FESTIVAL: Artist check in with Priscila De Carvalho

Priscila De Carvalho Bronx Museum Mural

Chromazone Festival, Minnesota’s first & largest public mural & art festival kicks off this weekend. Over the course of the festival 12 large outdoor murals will be created in St Paul’s premier creative hub by 15 mural artists. Priscila De Carvalho is one of the Artists featured on the line up for the festival.

Priscila De Carvalho is a Brazilian-American contemporary artist who is known for paintings, sculptures, murals, site-specific installations, and permanent public art.

She is a recipient of The Pollock-Krasner Foundation Fellowship Award and served as an artist in residence at Sculpture Space, Aljira Emerge 10 Fellowship, Lower East Side Printshop, The Bronx Museum of the Arts and Jamaica Center for the Arts and Learning Workspace Program. She made her first solo debut with Passageways in the Jersey City Museum, opening March 19, 2009.

Priscila’s work has been exhibited by the Brooklyn Bridge Park (New York, USA), The Bronx Museum of the Arts (New York, USA), Socrates Sculpture Park (New York, USA), the Basque Museum-Center of Contemporary Art (Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain), Deutsche Bank (New York, USA), the Grand Palais (Paris, France), the Nepal Art Council in (Kathmandu, Nepal), The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (New York, USA), The Jersey City Museum (Jersey City, USA). She was also a celebrated participant in El Museo’ Sixth Biennial in New York City, The First AIM Biennial at The Bronx Museum of the Arts, and The Kathmandu International Triennial in Nepal where she represented her home nation of Brazil.

Priscila De Carvalho Installation Artwork

She has been commissioned for large-scale permanent public art projects by the MTA Arts & Design and the Department of Education in NY in collaboration with School Construction Authority, she is currently creating permanent public artwork for the SBS Woodhaven median stations commissioned by New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Arts Program as well as her largest and most ambitious sculptural work to date for the Valley Metro Rail System in Phoenix, Arizona. Priscila lives and works in Long Island City, NY.

We checked in with Priscila ahead of the festival for a quick update.

Hey Priscila, how did you get the chance to be involved with Chroma Zone
Festival?

I saw an open call for the Mural Festival online. I applied and got chosen as one of the artists to take part in the festival.

Artist Priscila De Carvalho

Have you had much time in Minnesota before?

I have never been Minnesota before so this will be my first time  and I am looking forward to exploring and learn more about the city Minnesota has always come to me as a progressive city with many important art institutions such as the Walker Art Center, Weisman Art Museum among others

Do you have a theme in mind for your mural?

My work touches upon concepts of past and present, identity… I am planning to create an artwork that reflects in those concepts and captures the endangered nature of my native country Brazil as well some native plants, the architecture of Saints Paul and it’s dynamic and has a strong visual presence.

What can you tell us a little about what you have planned?

The mural consists of different compositions combined figurative and abstract elements of the architecture and nature of Saint Paul. Most of all the images represented in the piece were taken from archival photos found thought research.

Priscila De Carvalho Mural

How do you like to describe your work?

My works are visual narratives that range from overly populated urban environments to social and political content. They are usually dialogues between past, present, and future with a reverence for architecture forms.

How are you going with your preparation? 

all is going well so far 🙂

Priscila De Carvalho Painting

What excites you most about participating in the festival?

I am very excited about the opportunity of enhancing the neighborhood with a timeless and unique public artwork. I am also hoping to meet new people, exchange ideas, explore the city and MN art community.

Are there any comments you’d like to add or anything extra you’d like people to know?

The hope my mural and the festival offers people the opportunity to engage, interact and experience art in an immersive and inspiring way. Also, offer the opportunity to discover and explore different cultures through the use of paint.

Priscila De Carvalho Mural

Instagram: @prisciladecarvalhoxx
Web: prisciladecarvalho.com