Featured Artist: Robert Fraher

In-Depth: Artist and Professor Robert Fraher Reflects on his Work in Brazil

Featured artist Robert Fraher was a resident artist in the IBOC Brasilia program.

Check article about Residency in The Rio Times.

In the words of the artist:

During my ten-day artist residency with the International Brazilian Opera Company, I enjoyed an expertly planned agenda consisting of activities to help me get acclimated to Brasilia, meetings with curators, opportunities to make art with local artists, architectural tours, and many other forms of cultural exploration. The lodging for the residency is located in an artistic and culturally rich area of Brasilia, and roughly one kilometer from Espaço Cultural Renato Russo, a recently renovated center for the arts and music. The activities of my residency brought me to Renato Russo several times and included taking in art exhibitions and live music.

My time also involved consistent interaction with a local group of creatives who are connected to many other arts and technology organizations in and around Brasilia. Most notably, I enjoyed the hospitality and thoughtful dialogue of Phil and Gisel Jones. This creative couple welcomed me into both Elefante, their creative studio and art gallery, which houses an exhibition space and the work areas of seven other artists, as well as the Calango Hacker Clube, a local group of digitally curious minds eager to share their knowledge of a multitude of gadgetry.

This group of creatives also included Dr. Eufrasio Prates, an artist and musician who leads several different sonic initiatives in the Brasilia region ranging from the experimental and avant-garde to more mainstream genres like trance and metal. My conversations with Dr. Prates were some of my most engaging interactions and I expect will be the cause of some of my most lasting impressions.

Amongst the many events I was fortunate enough to participate in, the most memorable include being asked to join the improvisational musicians that performed as part of Feira do Fuga, a two-day art fair celebrating artists from the Brasilia region (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=iSDUNHCuW-I), and the opportunity to present at Roda de Conversa (Conversation Wheel), which took place at ArquiBrasilia as part of the Voa Brasilia Expo Mixmidia (Fly Brazil Multimedia Expo).

More info: Robert Fraher