Important Prints by Rosângela Rennó Gomes Available at John Moran Auctioneers

Rosângela Rennó Gomes is a Brazilian artist who explores the stories and images that are cast aside by society. She uses photography as her subject, though not her medium. Rennó has been active since the 1980s and has since become an established figure in Brazil’s contemporary art scene. On February 28, 2023, John Moran Auctioneers of Monrovia, California will present a set of important prints by Rosângela Rennó Gomes from 2013. Live bidding will begin at 3:00 PM EST on Bidsquare.

Rosângela Rennó Gomes was born in 1962 and later studied both architecture and fine art. Her fascination with photographic images started early. In her art, Rennó considers “the humanities, in history and its erasures, and in the history of photography itself, its social uses and functions.” She asks questions about visibility and erasure, as well as the fate of vernacular images created and captured by non-artists. Rennó seeks out images that are destined for destruction. Instead of heading to the trash or a dusty archive, they instead enter her studio to be reimagined as textures, landscapes, and portraits.

Rennó often obscures the subjects of her prints and installations. The artist describes this process to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) as an attempt, in part, to expose historical amnesia and “structural ignorance” that arose due to the military dictatorship in Brazil that lasted from 1964 to 1985. There was a shortage of photography during that era, and many documents and archives were deliberately destroyed. Rennó’s work reflects on this history and brings forward neglected images for public view. In recent years, Rosângela Rennó Gomes has also explored photo-paintings and installation works using household items such as porcelain plates and steel hangers.

The upcoming sale from John Moran Auctioneers features a set of six images from Rennó’s Serie Materia de Poesia (Matter of Poetry series) (lot #200; estimate: USD 20,000 – $30,000). The artist created these inkjet prints in 2013 using Canson Rag Photographique paper laid to aluminum panels. They belong to a larger collection of 42 images. 

Rennó’s Materia de Poesia series references the work of noted Brazilian poet Manoel de Barros. It uses layered archival photos that are shrouded in shadow. The available set of prints use deep shades of red, blue, and gold to illuminate small details in each scene. Rennó also juxtaposes different images together. For example, a woman in a bathing suit overlays the image of a cathedral in one print. In another, a marina with buildings is visible behind the image of a man on a horse. The layers of these works create mystery for the viewer, as well as the sense that not everything has been fully brought to light. 

Beyond this set of prints by Rosângela Rennó Gomes, the upcoming Art + Design sale from John Moran Auctioneers will feature over 260 other lots. Featured among them is an Abstract Expressionist work by Alice Baber (lot #139; estimate: $50,000 – $70,000), a gold leaf and glass table designed by Yves Klein (lot #192; estimate: $12,000 – $18,000), and a 1960s Etruscan center table by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne (lot #71; estimate: $10,000 – $15,000). 

Find the full auction catalog and register to place a bid by visiting Bidsquare. 

Looking for more upcoming auctions and art world news? Visit Auction Daily’s news channel for the latest.