Psychedelic Paintings by Rafael Silveira Explore a World of ‘Visual Synonymies’

Rafael Silveira, a Brazilian artist, has crafted a series of mystical paintings that merge disparate elements in unexpected ways. His works, featured in the exhibition "Popsicledelic Trip" at KP Projects Gallery in Los Angeles, seek to explore the concept of "visual synonymies" - a term he uses to describe formal correspondences between seemingly unrelated things. Silveira's pieces often replace facial features with landforms, flora, and fauna, and sometimes hybridize animals, figures, and other objects.

The artist's unique style is evident in works like "Exit" and "We Are On The Same Page," both of which include giant versions of popsicles held by figures. For Silveira, the popsicle symbolizes the interconnectedness of all things in the universe, despite its seemingly out-of-place reference within the context of these surreal pieces. He aims to challenge our perception of the world by juxtaposing objects and organisms in unlikely scenarios.

Silveira's use of the tavola centinata, a compositional form often found in Gothic and early Renaissance paintings, adds a layer of historical significance to his work. This shape, with its squared base and rounded top, mirrors that of a classic popsicle, creating a bridge between the sacred and the ephemeral, the permanent and the fleeting. His paintings invite viewers to rethink the relationship between the spiritual and the transient, the holy and the sweet.

Explore more of Rafael Silveira's work on Instagram.