Claus Costa

Claus Costa, June 20, 1971, Rio de Janeiro.

With Michelangelo and Da Vinci as a source of inspiration, Costa started his studies in drawing and later switched to painting. His paintings are always built up from drawing and become colorful and lively with every brush stroke. His technical painting skills and use of color enable him to create energy and emotion in his work.

In the context of how our world presents itself to us, Claus Costa attempts to examine his own identity and perhaps everyone’s identity.

Context versus context. Thus, he places on canvas an icon who has left a clear mark in our society.

These icons are placed next to a clipping, (newspaper) article and/or a note from himself. This he does in topical fashion. His work clearly refers to Pop Art in a new guise, where the narrative aspect of a period image is shaped.

As a basis, he always makes a silkscreen of a special personality first. He then creates collages and in a graffiti-like manner he applies his painting techniques. The intense, vibrant colors splash off the canvas. From old paper and cardboard to blobs of cement, everything is processed and painted into a whole, giving the icon a dynamic and modern look.

Claus Costa’s works aim to organize contemporary images to chaos, make them meaningful and, why not, beautiful.