Hoffmann, J: Marepe

This is the first comprehensive monograph on the young Brazilian artist Marepe, who lives and works in Santo Ant nio de Jesus in Bahia Province in northwestern Brazil. The cosmos of this location--Marepe's birthplace--provides the stimuli for his art. His works, exhibited worldwide at Biennale festivals and museums such as London's Tate Modern or Paris' Centre Pompidou, evolve from the region's history, the daily lives of its people and the creativity that helps them to survive. As Jens Hoffmann writes in his essay: "Marepe's world is fairly unique and his works of art are not just objects representing an idea or concept, they are witnesses of his life and the condensation of his experiences and his dreams. His interpretation of his surroundings is rendered into multifaceted, poetic and frequently beautiful works of art, which speak profoundly about some of the most relevant and even existential questions of our lives." Adriano Pedrosa analyzes the transformative impact of placing rows of water filters or replica market stalls in an art context. Statements, notes and poetry from the artist himself shed further light on the background of his pieces.