Alexandre Rocha*
alexandre.rocha@anba.com.br
São Paulo – Artist Dolly Moreno, born in Egypt and based in Brazil, is going to exhibit for the second time in the National Society of Fine Arts Salon, in Paris, France, between December 13 and 16. She produces large sculptures in metal and last year won the salon in the abstract sculpture category.
In this edition, Dolly is going to present a work in stainless steel and tin with moving parts visitors may fiddle with. The trophy for the winner in the abstract sculpture category this year was named after her.
Apart from articles with playful characteristics, she usually makes large sculptures, those placed at the entrances of buildings. Due to the size, the artefacts are built in parts at her workshop in São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, and final assembly takes place at the exhibition site.
One of the characteristics of her products is that they seem "to be about to break", which gives an idea of rupture. This, according to Dolly, is the result of influences of her personal history. The rupture would be the moment in which she left Egypt with her family, around 30 years ago. She lived in France and in the United States and then moved to Brazil.
The artist studied at the University of Fine Arts, in Cairo, at L’Atelier in Alexandria, at École de Beux-Arts in Paris, at Queens College in New York and at Armando Álvares Penteado Foundation (FAAP), in São Paulo, where she was a student of sculptor Nicolas Vlavianos.
In fact, they both have something in common in their origins. Vlavianos is Greek and Dolly is the daughter of a Greek father and Russian mother, although she was born in Egypt. Her husband, with whom she has three kids, also came from the Arab country.
The artist participates in three to four exhibitions a year. After the event in Paris, she is going to present her work, starting next year, in the Central Bank building, in São Paulo. She has already exhibited in 12 different countries.
*Translated by Mark Ament