ADD FUEL R E Q U I E M (for) A P O P H E N I A - Fabien Castanier Gallery at AQUA Art Miami December 4 – 8, 2024 Room 203

ADD FUEL R E Q U I E M  (for)  A P O P H E N I A Fabien Castanier Gallery @ AQUA Art Miami December 4 – 8, 2024 Room 203   Fabien Castanier Gallery is excited to participate in this year's edition of the AQUA Art Miami fair, taking place December 4-8. The gallery will showcase the work of contemporary Portuguese artist ADD FUEL, in a solo exhibition entitled REQUIEM (for) APOPHENIA. The gallery's space at the Aqua Hotel in Miami Beach will invite visitors into the mesmerizing kaleidoscopic imagination of the artist as he presents a new body of work that sits in dialogue with an immersive installation. The exhibition will extend beyond the walls of the solo show, as guests to the fair will witness the façade of the hotel transformed. ADD FUEL will complete a mural on the front of the building, entitled "MOVIMENTO EN ÁGUA". ADD FUEL's work continues to showcase the meticulous technique in which the artist has honed, the manipulation of ceramic tiles. Incorporating masterful rendering of patterns, he creates work that engages the eye with visual depth both within the sculptural nature of his pieces as well as in the intricate painted motifs. His exhibition for the AQUA fair will incorporate his pieces within an installation, including adorned floors and walls. The show will allow visitors to enter another world, surrounded by echoing motifs and complex imagery that create gateways to the unexpected, where every transposition conceals a story yearning to be observed and deciphered. As an exploration of different aesthetic possibilities and the juxtaposition of heritage and modernity, ADD FUEL's work reinterprets the language of traditional tile design, specifically that of the Portuguese tin-glazed ceramic azulejo. Historically used as large-scale decoration upon buildings, the Portuguese tile work inhabited a cultural space that contained biblical and mythological references and blended seamlessly with their architecture. Utilizing the complexities and depth offered by this style, ADD FUEL creates multi-layered patterned compositions that produce a poetic rhythm, playing with perception and illusion. ADD FUEL (b. 1980, Cascais), Portuguese visual artist Diogo Machado, began his practice with a degree in graphic design from Lisbon's IADE – Institute of Visual Arts, Design and Marketing. He spent several years working in design studios in Portugal as well as Munich, Germany, and since 2007 has focused exclusively on his artistic work. Exploring a wide range of both manual and digital techniques in the fields of drawing, painting, ceramics, and printing, his practice expresses a sophisticated dialogue between the old and the new. Besides numerous public art presentations he has created all around the world, ADD FUEL continues to showcase his work with solo and group exhibitions in international galleries. Portuguese Artist ADD FUEL Transforms Aqua Hotel's Façade With Special Blue Ceramic Tile Mural, Alongside Highlighted Works by Ashley Longshore, Paris Brosnan, Jenny Chandler, and more  Aqua Art Miami is pleased to feature new works, solo presentations, and special projects from 41 global galleries. The fair kicks off with a VIP Preview on Wednesday, Dec. 4, featuring a special performance by renowned DJ A-Trak, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 8. The fair continues to push boundaries and drive the conversation around contemporary art. This year's edition will feature highlights including inaugural U.S. presentations by global artists, special projects, and groundbreaking works by artists pushing the envelope with relevant topics such as the environment, humanitarian efforts, and the intersection of technology and art. Aqua's roster of well-respected international galleries will showcase fresh artists' works in intimate exhibition rooms, which open into the beautiful courtyard of the classic South Beach hotel. Aqua Art Miami at the Aqua Hotel 1530 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139 FABIEN CASTANIER GALLERY, ROOM 203