In the heart of London, from the 7th of June to the 3rd of August 2024, an extraordinary exhibition is set to take place at the Thomas Dane Gallery. Entitled ‘Paisagem de Lenda (Landscape of Legend)’, this is the second exhibition at the gallery by Brazilian artist Patricia Leite.
Raised on the legends of the Tupi-Guarani indigenous people, Patricia Leite utilizes these narratives to shape her world and imagination. Her work, deeply embedded with these stories, transcends the ordinary, elevating common features of the landscape into lead characters of her intriguing world.
In ‘Paisagem de Lenda’, she uses her art to reflect on the erosion of natural environments and the destruction of ecosystems by climate change, industry and neglectful governments. Her paintings and tapestries mourn what is lost while celebrating the resilience of what remains.
Working alongside São Paolo-based, Uruguayan tapestry maker Jorge Francisco Soto, Leite displays the intricate and iconic lily pads of the Amazon in a majestic floor tapestry. Accompanying this centerpiece is a panoramic nightscape showing Leite’s fascination with the moon and a range of artworks exploring light and water phenomena.
The exhibition is a journey through the captivating landscapes of Leite’s world – varying from the macro lens of a starry night sky to the micro-zoom into a single leaf. Her work thrives in the threshold, offering a sense of freedom in the liminal space between figuration, abstraction, and landscape.
Patricia Leite’s talent lies in her ability to invite viewers into profound solitude and reflection through her vibrant yet desolate landscapes. Through her captivating palette and nostalgic ambiance, she offers a critically important message: to look closely at our natural world before it, too, becomes just a part of the legends.
‘Paisagem de Lenda’ will add to Leite’s prestigious portfolio, which has been prominently showcased around the world, from the Pace Gallery in New York to the Kunsthalle Wien in Vienna. Patricia Leite continues to reside and create in São Paulo while her work expands in numerous permanent collections globally.
To appreciate the depth of Leite’s practice fully, viewers can anticipate a Thomas Dane Gallery publication accompanying Paisagem de Lenda. Created in both English and Portuguese, the publication includes a new text by curator José Augusto Ribeiro.
Experience the enchanting ‘Landscape of Legend’ by the visionary Patricia Leite at the Thomas Dane Gallery, London this summer.