Camila Alcântara’s artistic journey began in 2017, in a spontaneous and autonomous manner. Although she hadn’t initially planned on becoming an artist, she had always nurtured a deep passion for art. Her first creations were colorful and playful collages, produced during a period of recovery from a health issue.
When she shared these works with those close to her, they sparked immediate interest, and soon her pieces were being sold. This marked the start of her professionalization as an artist, but it wasn’t until 2019 that she fully grasped the true potential of her creations. That year, she realized she could use her art as a tool to raise questions and foster reflections about the world and its complexities.
In the same year, she was invited to participate in her first group exhibition, which opened new doors and inspired her to found her own gallery. Since 2020, Alcântara has co-directed Lateral – Galeria Contemporânea de Arte in São Paulo, Brazil alongside her partner and co-founder, balancing her artistic production with curating and managing the gallery.
Alcântara’s artistic research focuses on human beings and their interactions with the surrounding environment—from interpersonal relationships to the connection with nature and the broader ecosystem. This investigative process stems from a deeply personal and questioning perspective, in which the artist positions herself as her main object of study.
By observing behaviors and seeking answers regarding the motivations and origins of certain convictions, Alcântara aims to understand what is intrinsic to the individual and what is shaped by the world. Her works, which emerge from this introspective inquiry, aim to provoke reflections on the relationship between the self and the whole, inspiring questions about identity, belonging and interaction with the universe around us.
I visited the artist’s studio, and we sat down for a chat about her work, creative processes and goals for the future.
Gui Marinho: Camila, you mentioned that your main object of study is, in fact, yourself. From that starting point, your research explores the individual and their relationship with themselves and the collective. Although you are creating from your reality in Brazil, do you believe that people from other parts of the world can relate to and identify with your work?
Camila Alcântara: Without a doubt! And that’s spectacular! That’s art! This ability to communicate through the senses shows that, many times, communication through words becomes limited. I often hear people, when looking at my work, say, “I don’t know how to explain or formulate in words what this piece makes me feel; I just feel it.” That is fantastic, and it proves that for people to identify with and connect to the artwork, all they need is to allow themselves to do so.
GM: In your work, we see many figurative elements, but there is also a noticeable subjective abstraction in the pieces. What is your intention behind combining these elements?
CA: At first, it wasn’t something I rationally planned or calculated. When I realized it, the works already carried that combination. In seeking to understand the reasons behind it, I noticed that this is deeply connected to my research and what I want to communicate with it.
After all, humans are complex beings, full of subjectivities. Even though we can identify some patterns and elements in our daily lives and our relationships with ourselves and others, there is still so much that is implied, constantly in motion and undergoing mutations.
Additionally, the varied materials and textures I use in my work also contribute to this perception. I work with lines, canvas, paper, fabric, wire, and ceramics, among others, and all of these materials have textures and layers that can interact in completely different ways with each person who encounters my work. The combination of all these factors, along with my questioning intention, in my view, generates reflection and sparks dialogue.
GM: You are currently studying social sciences, and it’s clear that anthropology, sociology, geography and philosophy are fields of knowledge that influence your research. However, your work often draws the attention of psychoanalysts. Why do you think that happens?
CA: All these disciplines provide me with tools for this investigative work on human relationships within my art, but I’m very careful not to let academicism take over. I try to maintain a balance because, as I mentioned earlier, everything in us and the world is constantly changing. I think this is one of the aspects that catches the attention of psychoanalysts—I don’t define my works; they may seem the same, but they are also constantly evolving, just like human beings. We are not the same every day, and I try to reflect all of that in the finished pieces. I believe these nuances pique the interest of psychoanalysts.
GM:Looking to the future, where would you like to take your work, and what are your current career goals?
CA: In terms of goals, I have five main objectives as a visual artist: 1. I want to reach as many people as possible so they can experience my work and, through it, get to know themselves better; 2. To enter the international art market with my works; 3. To increase the portion of my income that comes from the sale of my artwork; 4. To start expressing myself through performance art as well, using my body as an instrument; and 5. To continue creating, researching and learning.
GM:Finally, how can people follow your work, and where can they acquire your pieces?
CA: Today, people can follow my work and creative processes through my newsletter on Substack (https://camilaalcntara.substack.com/) and my Instagram @camilaalcantara.arte. My works can be purchased at Lateral Galeria, @lateralgaleria on Instagram.
