SANDRO AKEL
Visual Artist
SANDRO AKEL
Sandro Akel is one of the founders of the prestigious Bijari Collective and has been pursuing an artistic career for 32 years.
Since 2011, the visual artist has resided and developed his work in the Barra Funda neighborhood in São Paulo, Brazil.
As a co-founder of the Bijari Collective, he carried out works where the convergence between visual arts and applied technologies in large-scale installations, urban interventions, and multimedia actions guided their projects.
From this profound experience with various mediums, a keen eye on street movements, and a fine and powerful drawing, in 2011 emerged the need to dedicate himself exclusively to painting. From then on, he creates panels and paintings that remain connected to urban language through
collages and poster overlays found on streets worldwide (Berlin, London, New York), now incorporating large-scale drawing, redefining dimensions and perspectives.
His work gained strength and has been uniquely redefining Brazilian urban pop art. “... Akel maintains the characteristic aesthetic of his creations and flirts with drawing, with the
pictorial issue...”, as defined by the scenographer and visual artist Zé Carratu.
Sandro Akel’s art is evidence of his creative vision, technical knowledge, and thought-provoking concepts. Through his fusion of recycled posters and encaustic technique, he has carved out a unique niche in the contemporary art scene, drawing attention to the issues of waste and consumption in modern society. Despite the seemingly random selection of posters and the fluidity of encaustic, a technique that uses wax, there is a meticulous arrangement and
composition of his pieces.
By incorporating these discarded materials into his compositions, he does not only gives them new life but also adds layers of history and urban context to his artwork. In addition to the technical aspects, Akel’s art also conveys a strong social and environmental message.
His works have been featured in various collective and solo exhibitions and have gained significant recognition among collectors and the general public for establishing a strong bond between the streets and contemporary society, and the erudite and refined presence in the work.
ENCAUSTIC TECHNIQUE
Video produced by Wtfilm
Directed by: Bruno Cabral @brnohc and Haruo Kaneko @brwaxx
Photography Direction: Leandro Realista @le_realista and Rafael Szalai @szalai
Photography Ass: Kauan Diosergi @kakau_skt
Production: Pedro Calderan @pedro__calderan
Editing and Color: @wtfilmoficial
ROUTE
1996
Co-founder of the art collective BijaRi, a creation center that develops projects at the convergence of art, design, and technology. The group worked between analogue and digital media, proposing artistic experiments, especially of a critical nature. Urban interventions, performances, installations, video art and design are ways to establish possibilities for experiences where reality is amplified. They participated in exhibitions in Brazil and abroad, such as: Biennial of Havana-Cuba, Biennial of Mercosul-Brazil, Biennial of Ushuaia-Argentina, Qui Vivi?- Russia, Collective Creativity-Germany, Estrecho Dudoso-Costa Rica, Mexico, and the United States.
2000
V Graphic Design Biennial/ADG – Sesc Pompéia - São Paulo- SP
Laboratory Project – itinerant multimedia performances and interventions – SP
2001
III Mercosul Biennial - City of Containers - Porto Alegre - RS
Museum of Contemporary Art of Goiás – Goiânia - GO
Transverse Reality - Casa das Rosas - São Paulo – SP
Antipop urban action: Galinha - Laboratório - São Paulo – SP
Laboratory Project – itinerant multimedia performances and interventions – SP
2002
Red Bull Live Images - Galpão das Américas - São Paulo – SP
Open Opera - Casa das Rosas - São Paulo - SP
Imaginary Mexico - Casa das Rosas - São Paulo – SP
X São Paulo Salon of Contemporary Art - Galeria do Rock - São Paulo - SP
VI Graphic Design Biennial/ADG - Sesc Pompéia - São Paulo – SP
Multimedia urban intervention May 24th - Sesc May 24th - São Paulo – SP
Laboratory Project – itinerant multimedia performances and interventions – SP
2003
Resfest 2003 - São Paulo - SP.
Vila Buarque Cultural Circuit 24h - São Paulo - SP.
VIII Havana Biennial - Havana - Cuba
São Paulo Audiovisual Exhibition - CCBB - São Paulo - SP
Next Five Minutes 5 - Tactical Media Brazil - Casas das Rosas – SP
Urban action Armário – Sesc Pompéia – São Paulo – SP
Laboratory Project – itinerant multimedia performances and interventions – SP
2004
VMB MTV – Art Direction Award – São Paulo – SP
E- FLUX Virtual Gallery – New York
Lands in Transit – Mexico
File – São Paulo – SP
Heterodoxy – Memorial da América Latina – São Paulo – SP
Resfest 2004 – São Paulo – SP
28th São Paulo Audiovisual Exhibition – CCBB – São Paulo – SP.
Cultural Vigil 2 – São Paulo – SP
Digitophagy – Museum of Image and Sound – São Paulo – SP
Frankelstein Hall – São Paulo – SP
BH International Short Film Festival – Belo Horizonte – MG
Olhar Paulista 2 – Instituto Cervantes – São Paulo – SP
Action Zone – Sesc Paulista – São Paulo – SP
Environmental Interference Group: May Salon – Salvador – BA
VII Graphic Design Biennial/ADG – Prize – Memorial of Latin America – São Paulo – SP
A Journey of 450 years – Sesc Pompéia – São Paulo – SP
2005
Claro que é rock - Curated - São Paulo- Rio de Janeiro
Motomix - Visual Arts Curatorship - São Paulo - SP
Documenta de Kassel - Colectiv Creativity – Kassel – Germany
Exhibition - Galeria Favo – São Paulo - SP
E- FLUX Virtual Gallery – Berlin – Germany
Jamac – Galeria Vermelho – São Paulo – SP
Cubo Project, multimedia intervention – São Paulo – SP
Architecture of (R)existence – Instituto Cultural Capobianco – São Paulo – SP
Resfest 2005 – São Paulo – SP
Lands in Transit – New York
2006
Sambaquis exhibition - IQ Art Gallery - São Paulo - SP
Exhibition Estrecho Dudoso – San José – Costa Rica
Monumenta – Pelotas - RS
Exhibition Qui Vive? – Moscow – Russia
Exhibition Steps, Views – Mexico City - Mexico
IX Havana Biennial – Special Room Território SP – São Paulo
Exhibition La Normalidad – Buenos Aires – Argentina
Exhibition Mutantes na Parede – Espaço CEL 1121 – São Paulo – SP
2007
Plastik Gallery - format (<) - 10 - São Paulo – SP
Transitory Public / Police Equator 2 – L.A. and Tijuana – United States and Mexico
5th Multicultural Cycle – Center for Jewish Culture – São Paulo – SP
Mobilefest – São Paulo - SP
16th Video brasil – São Paulo – SP
File – São Paulo – SP
1st End of the World Biennial – Ushuaia – Argentina
Tápias Integrated Arts Festival – Rio de Janeiro – RJ
2008
The Bridges not Walls – Vitry Sur-Seine – Paris – France
Motomix - Visual Arts Curatorship - São Paulo - SP
Intermedeae Meeting of collectives BR/ES – ARCO – Madrid – Spain
2009
Individual exhibition “Sambaquis” – IQ Galary – São Paulo
2010
Individual exhibition “ Multiplicidades “ – Rua Sampaio Vidal 355 – São Paulo
2011
SPArte Mendes Wood – São Paulo Biennial – São Paulo
Individual Exhibition “Displacement” – Galeria MendesWood – São Paulo
Individual exhibition “Displacement” – Espaço Sala – São Paulo – Center
2012
Individual exhibition “ Encaixotado “ – Espaço Sala – São Paulo – Center
2016
Soul Kitchen Project - Studio Sandro Akel
2017
Individual exhibition “Telha e Tijolo Sobre Carne e Concreto” - Nicoli Gallery - São Paulo
2018
Collective exhibition “TRINCA“ Studio Akel | Sao Paulo-SP
2019
Collective exhibition “DEZ.EM.BRO Coletivo” Thomas Baccaro Art Gallery - São Paulo – SP
2021
ArtsSP 2021 Discovering art. Creative Process – São Paulo
Street Art Museum Project - São Paulo City Hall – Salto (mural in Minhocão Park)
2023
Individual exhibition – Fundo da Barra - Central 196 – São Paulo – SP
Urban Impressionism by Sandro Akel
In the dynamic universe of contemporary art, Sandro Akel emerges as a different and innovative artist, pushing the boundaries of traditional techniques to create his own visual language. Sandro’s art is characterized by the interesting fusion of street art, pure drawing, wax, and wood, in a collage that shows the intriguing chaos between completely disparate elements.
Rooted in the aesthetics of the streets and influenced by the nuances of Impressionism and Pop Art, his work stands as a testament to the constant natural evolution of artistic expression. Central to his artistic vision is the incorporation of street art, carefully scavenged and torn to create the literal urban piece in his work that, combined with drawings of the city itself and the human figure, recreate layers where fragments form unusual and beautiful compositions. This raw and fragmented quality provides us, in pieces, with a sense of immediacy and impermanence, thus capturing the transient nature of urban life.
However, Akel’s artistic manifestation goes far beyond collage; his drawing adds a personal, human, and more emotional touch to the experi- ence. But it is the wax with its transparent malleability, and its transformative quality, that unifies and acts as a revealing agent, creating unusual new layers, shines, and volume to the work, ultimately serving as a cohesive force, allowing the artist to blend strange materials together into a single, coherent whole. Sandro’s art is undeniably current and cosmopolitan, reflecting the energy, chaos, and diversity of the streets. Sandro Akel’s artistic practice represents a compelling fusion of various elements, demonstrating the power of hybrid techniques in telling complex narratives. His work invites us to engage in the super dynamic world of contemporary art and its infinite possibilities. His art is strong, unexpected, and vibrant.
Rui Mendes
