Sous les Etoiles Gallery is thrilled to present “A Playful Geometry”, a
selection of works from the Brazilian artist Macaparana (Brazil, b. in 1952) in its gallery space. It is the
first exhibition of the artist with the gallery and his first solo show in New York, from September 13th to
December 19th, 2025. An opening will happen Saturday September 13th, 2025 from 3:30 to 6:30 pm
In “A Playful Geometry”, Brazilian artist Macaparana invites us into a realm where geometry sings. His work
is rooted in the Brazilian concrete and neo-concrete art, movements that challenged traditional boundaries
between form, perception, and emotion. His compositions unfold like visual scores—each line, plane, and
interval charged with quiet tension and lyrical grace. Enchantment arises not from illusion, but from the
precision of balance and the poetics of restraint.
“ My process of working is always very spontaneous, and I prefer starting some work in a freeway, without
any kind of sketch done before. I like very much being challenged by the work itself. When I start working,
the manufacturing process is very calm and fast because I want to see the results of it. I think the mathematical
method is always in the creative process and I believe that the intuitive way is the most beautiful thing
because you can see, feel everything around you in a very particular way and use the poetic language
together with music”, explains the artist.
At the core of Macaparana’s artistic vision lies a dynamic conversation between geometry and rythm—a
dialogue that recalls the groundbreaking work of early 20th-century pioneers of abstraction, foremost
among them Jean (Jan) Arp, to whom Macaparana dedicates several works presented for the first time in
this exhibition.
Macaparana works in series and with several materials, wire, cardboard, paper, wood. Each of his series
begins with a search for the sensitive rather than the rational. Although the final result seems to be achieved
with an intense desire for perfection, the energy behind his delicate works remains sensitive: Macaparana
creates poetry with light, affection, and gesture. The sophistication of his creations, as well as the exquisite
formalism of this singular artist, stem from his family’s training.
Macaparana was born José de Souza Oliveira Filho in the state of Pernambuco in 1952. He began drawing
at a very young age: the boredom of a long convalescence allowed him to discover the joy of inventing
worlds with a piece of paper and a handful of colored pencils. Young José learned to develop his artistic
skills in his father’s sewing workshop: fascinated by colored chalks, patterns, measuring tapes, sewing
thread, and needles, the boy played with pure forms. His grandfather, the other artisan in the family, made
cardboard suitcases, still produced in the same way in northeast Brazil. These two non-academic schools
inspired young José’s passion for craftsmanship and trained his eye to focus on small details, and patiently,
cut by cut, fold by fold, Macaparana creates joy.
