EVOLUTION
A solo exhibition by
Mario Soares In collaboration with
Mario Pedro Soares
Mario Soares left Mozambique for South Africa in 2008. He worked as an artist/embroiderer for Boitumelo in Hillbrow before coming to the artist proof Studio in 2010. Soares graduated in 2013 and proceeded to develop his skill in etching through a constant and intense process of discovery and experimentation. He works primarily in etching on steel plates and uses the metaphor of the road to describe the process of growing up, travel and migration. Faceless and apparently identityless subjects give voice to the ways in which immigrants seek to make themselves invisible in their new home country, fearful of entrenched xenophobia. In 2014, he became an intern at APS at the Pro-Shop. He has been part of numerous group shows and art fairs both in Johannesburg and in Cape Town.
Artist Statement
Since I was a child in Mozambique I knew that I wanted to be an artist. Growing up, I have experienced art through joining other groups of artists. My work at that time wasn’t of a good standard. When I moved to South Africa almost 10 years ago now, my work has developed and gone through many changes and transitions. This exhibition is largely about the life and perspective of people in Mozambique and South Africa.
Since graduating from Artist Proof Studio, I have produced over 60 etchings on steel plates and each time I explore new aspects of intaglio techniques. This is a constant and intense process of discovery and experimentation. In this body of work I have challenged the scale and depth of the images through printing on a large scale and joining plates to make up landscapes and cityscapes that engulf the viewer. In these works perspective and depth are explored and emphasized through the use of colour.�
Mario Soares Even People of Johannesburg Still Fighting Against Poverty Etching 116 x 166 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 6
Mario Soares Even People of Johannesburg Still Fighting Against Poverty Vol IV Etching 76 x 100 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 10
Mario Soares Even People of Johannesburg Still Fighting Against Poverty Vol V Etching 76 x 100 cm 2017 Edition of 10 Unframed
Mario Soares Day to Day of People of Johannesburg Vol IV Etching 140 x 103 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 6
Mario Soares Day to Day of People of Johannesburg Vol V Etching 140 x 103 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 6
Mario Soares Day to Day of People of Johannesburg Etching 76 x 100 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 10
Mario Soares Chimoio, Mozambique Where I come From Etching 117.5 x 164 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 6
Mario Soares Chimoio, Mozambique Where I come From Vol IV Etching 76 x 100 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 10
Mario Soares Day to Day of People of Chimoio (Mozambique) Etching 76 x 100 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 10
Mario Soares Mozambicans Vol II Etching 140 x 103 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 6
Mario Soares Mozambicans Vol III Etching 140 x103 cm 2017 Edition of 6 Unframed
Mario Soares Men and Women of Chimoio in Mozambique, they defeated poverty Etching 140 x103 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 8
Mario Soares Men and Women of Chimoio in Mozambique, they defeated poverty Vol II Etching 140 x103 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 8
Mario Soares Day to day people of Johannesburg Vol II Etching 76.5 x 100 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 10
Mario Soares Fighting Against Poverty still in Chimoio (Mozambique) Etching 76.5 x 100 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 10
Mario Soares People of Chimoio Mozambique, Still Fighting Against Poverty II Etching 76.5 x 100 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 10
Mario Soares Fight against poverty still in Chimoio (Mozambique) Vol II Etching 76.5 x 100 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 10
Mario Soares, Johannesburg in a Perspective, Etching, 60 x 75 cm, 2017, Unframed, Edition of 10
Mario Soares, Exclusive Vol III, Etching, 60 x 75 cm, 2017, Unframed, Edition of 10
Mario Soares, Day to Day People of People of Johannesburg Vol III, Etching, 60 x 75 cm , 2017, Unframed, Edition of 10
Mario Soares, Exclusive Vol II, Etching, 60 x 75 cm, 2017, Unframed, Edition of 10
Mario Soares, The end of Chimoio village Vol II, Etching, 60 x 75 cm , 2017, Unframed, Edition of 10
Mario Soares, Day to day of people of Chimoio (Mozambique), Etching, 60 x 75 cm, 2017, Unframed, Edition of 10
Mario Soares Chimoio, Mozambique Where I come from Vol II Etching 76.5 x 100 cm 2017 Unframed Edition of 10
Mario Soares, People of Chimoio, in Mozambique, Still Fighting Against Poverty Vol II, Etching, 60 x 75 cm, 2017, Unframed, Edition of 10
Mario Soares, People of Chimoio, in Mozambique, Still Fighting Against Poverty Vol III, Etching 60 x 75 cm, 2017, Unframed, Edition of 10