Luis Geraldes
Encyclopedia
Luis Pereira Geraldes is a contemporary
metaphysical
Portuguese
art
ist. He is more widely known for his oil painting
although he has produced a vast amount of sculpture
and drawing
. His art can be labelled as metaphysical
or spiritual
. He has also produced a lengthy mural in Sydney
which is on public display in the suburb of Petersham.
when he was about 3 years of age. He spent most of his childhood and adolescent years in Angola
but in 1975 he had to flee the country as a refugee
due to a the terrifying civil war
. His long stay in Angola
seems to have affected his style of art and he did indeed start painting when he was a boy.
He migrated to Australia in 1985. He became an Australian citizen in 1987 and has taught Art and Design at Footscray Institute of TAFE since 1988, RMIT
(Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) since 1991. And from 1995 at Central Gippsland Institute.
He now paints full time and regularly travels between Europe
and Australia
.
His early interest in esotericism
and spirituality
can also be seen as a prime factor in his subject matter, painting geometric patterns involving cosmic imagery and symbolism of universal significance. We can see in some of his works the use of the chakra
colors. In his book, Visions of the Esoteric Power, he asserts his "belief that art, science, and the spiritual do not exist in isolation."
He is exploring the 3rd dimension
of human beings in relation to the spiritual Universe
. There are four levels of movement in Luis works; EARTH, AIR, WATER and FIRE. All of them relate back to the beginning of mankind. Luis follows a two-dimensional path to the inner self by stating in his works the two levels of AIR, and EARTH, which are the most basic levels of man's existence. He then proceeds to lay over the emotions, which men carry within themselves. He uses the blues and greens of water and the warm colours for fire creating a feeling of completeness or as an ordered whole. Superimposed on that, Luis states the mystical
or religious forms from the past and present. By this last statement he puts men in a total form of relationship to the four signs of water, air, fire and earth. Luis is able to put down his innermost involvement in life.
Geraldes' works are represented in the Haifa Museum of Modern Art - Israel. Contemporary (Chiado) Art Museum, Lisbon - Portugal. Caixa Geral de Depositos Art Bank Museum in Lisbon - Portugal. And many other important private and governament art collections in many countries.
Contemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
metaphysical
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
ist. He is more widely known for his oil painting
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
although he has produced a vast amount of sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
and drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
. His art can be labelled as metaphysical
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
or spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
. He has also produced a lengthy mural in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
which is on public display in the suburb of Petersham.
Biography
Geraldes was born in 1957 and went to the African country of AngolaAngola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
when he was about 3 years of age. He spent most of his childhood and adolescent years in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
but in 1975 he had to flee the country as a refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
due to a the terrifying civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
. His long stay in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
seems to have affected his style of art and he did indeed start painting when he was a boy.
He migrated to Australia in 1985. He became an Australian citizen in 1987 and has taught Art and Design at Footscray Institute of TAFE since 1988, RMIT
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
(Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) since 1991. And from 1995 at Central Gippsland Institute.
He now paints full time and regularly travels between Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Oil on canvas
Geraldes is more famous for his oil painting. His style has dramatically changed over the years and we can see how Australian art has influenced his style.His early interest in esotericism
Esotericism
Esotericism or Esoterism signifies the holding of esoteric opinions or beliefs, that is, ideas preserved or understood by a small group or those specially initiated, or of rare or unusual interest. The term derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward",...
and spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
can also be seen as a prime factor in his subject matter, painting geometric patterns involving cosmic imagery and symbolism of universal significance. We can see in some of his works the use of the chakra
Chakra
Chakra is a concept originating in Hindu texts, featured in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning" .Chakra is a concept referring to wheel-like vortices...
colors. In his book, Visions of the Esoteric Power, he asserts his "belief that art, science, and the spiritual do not exist in isolation."
He is exploring the 3rd dimension
Three-dimensional space
Three-dimensional space is a geometric 3-parameters model of the physical universe in which we live. These three dimensions are commonly called length, width, and depth , although any three directions can be chosen, provided that they do not lie in the same plane.In physics and mathematics, a...
of human beings in relation to the spiritual Universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
. There are four levels of movement in Luis works; EARTH, AIR, WATER and FIRE. All of them relate back to the beginning of mankind. Luis follows a two-dimensional path to the inner self by stating in his works the two levels of AIR, and EARTH, which are the most basic levels of man's existence. He then proceeds to lay over the emotions, which men carry within themselves. He uses the blues and greens of water and the warm colours for fire creating a feeling of completeness or as an ordered whole. Superimposed on that, Luis states the mystical
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
or religious forms from the past and present. By this last statement he puts men in a total form of relationship to the four signs of water, air, fire and earth. Luis is able to put down his innermost involvement in life.
Geraldes' works are represented in the Haifa Museum of Modern Art - Israel. Contemporary (Chiado) Art Museum, Lisbon - Portugal. Caixa Geral de Depositos Art Bank Museum in Lisbon - Portugal. And many other important private and governament art collections in many countries.