Maxwell Alexandre

(1990)

Biography

Alexandre Maxwell was born in 1990, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he lives and works today. Maxwell graduated in Design from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Prior to this he participated in the Photography Course for works registration in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro in 2009. In August 2017, Maxwell Alexandre participated in the group exhibition at the Fortes D'Aloia & Gabriel gallery. In September of 2018 his works were shown at the Berlin Art Fair as part of the group exhibition Recortes da Arte Brasileira as well as at the A Gentil Carioca gallery in Rio de Janeiro for his first solo gallery exhibition called The Baptism of Maxwell Alexandre, and in the group exhibition Abre Alas 14. - At the MASP (São Paulo Museum of Art) for the group exhibition Histórias Afro- Atlânticas, announced as one of the best international exhibitions of 2018 by The New York Times. In 2018, Maxwell Alexandre did a residency at the Delfina Foundation in London, then held a residency at the macLYON in 2019.

Style

Born in Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro’s largest favela, Maxwell came across contemporary art at the age of 22, while studying design. Though he has been delving more into drawing practices during his younger years, creating drawings inspired by comics and cartoons, even selling his creations at his school – it was at this point in his life that he started to paint, at first in the abstract style. Now his motifs are very much related to the everyday life of Rocinha. His works show the authoritarian figures of policemen, beloved shapes of mothers who take care and run the family, as well as references to icons, such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Nina Simone or James Brown. Inspired by graffitis, rap and rollerblading, Maxwell depicts the energy of Rio and especially the favelas which he knows better than anyone. His works refer to numerous socio-political and cultural issues and serve as the worldview of the people with whom he has been surrounded for his whole life.

Sources:

Lyon press release "Pardo É Papel". Internet access: http://www.mac-lyon.com/static/mac/contenu/fichiers/dossiers_presse/2019/press_release_maxwell_alexandre_march19.pdf