In art, I have my own judgment criterion: the emotion that the work put in front of me causes me to transfer a certificate of quality. For me, there is no art without commotion. By the way, it's been a most stimulating experience to follow the evolution of Paulo Vieira's painting, to assist him in the battle of building his path.

 

Another personal opinion I have about art comes from the fact that I believe that, in addition to the value of the commotion that a so-called work of art causes me, there is the importance that I confer on knowledge - for information or for intuition - of the process that led the artist to conceive and carry out the work that is offered to my observation.

 

I am not afraid to refer to the importance it has for me - in addition to the invoice and the elements that make up the invoice of the work - the way in which the artist and the work mix; how the eagerness to search involves the artist's body and soul, how it interweaves viscera and nerves and buleverses every muscle in his brain in this long process makes him suffer from hopelessness or salivate with pleasure and rest.

 

To the attentive observer, I believe, there is no need for a video on the making off of the making of the exposed work to evaluate it, because, in this act, it is worth its inseparable intuition. If it is up to the observer, it is up to the artist to make sure that there is no art without obsession.

 

Art that does not threaten the artist and lesser art.

 

This is what I believe.

 

It is difficult for there to be an intense and true art without the artist having no desire to ask God - or the Devil - not to torture him so much. Only the artist knows - but he may be mistaken! - who hasn't found what they're looking for yet.

 

Paulo Vieira's art moves me more every day. I would like to keep forever with many of the paintings that he - throughout the description of what I saw and mentioned here - painted for this exhibition and to take home, too, many of the pages of the notebooks with his tortured drawings. His grief and search, however, have not yet informed me what stage his painting is at. What is certain is that we are facing a painter with an extreme strength and powerful talent.

 

From this exhibition onwards, the art-loving public in Rio - and in Brazil - will come into contact with the work of Paulo Vieira. Needless to say, this is a good time to be aware of his evolution, even though he realizes - as is proved here - that this is a beautiful phase of a great painter who appears among us.

 

Ziraldo