Em Portugal, o azulejo é mais do que um mero elemento decorativo de pouco valor intrínseco. É um importante suporte para a expressão artística nacional.”
BIO
ADD FUEL TO THE FIRE / Diogo Machado (b. 1980)
Located in the outer fringes of a multi-layered imaginative mind, one simple glance seems enough to take in all the colorful, weird, funny, exciting, cosy and warm features of Planet Fire – the brainchild of Diogo Machado. And yet, the visual complexity of some of his creations demands a deeper, more meaningful look, as amid the stylish, dynamic artwork there are often small and unexpected details operating on a whole different level of meaning. In this duality of propositions – the simple and the complex – lies the vitality of his universe.
Ever since he set off on this journey, his visual probes have been traveling far and wide, from the digital to the handmade he has collaborated with renown entities, brands and galleries. He now splits his life between the love for illustration and drawing and the need to use the streets as his personal gallery to play with peoples's minds and attention, adding little pieces of "renewed tradition" - the tile panels; adding fuel to help fire up the colorlessness that permeates our daily lives.
Street Ceramics - London
AZ55, 'The Royalty'& AZ13
While in London for the 'Spaces Within' show at Pure Evil Gallery (Feb 16th to 26th 2012), I took some little pieces of renewed portuguese tradition to the UK.I have also pasted a panel with the same aesthetics as the ones presented in the 'Spaces Within' show - Re-interpretations of traditional english medieval tiles.
In Portugal, the Azulejo tile is more than a mere decorative element of little intrinsic value. It has been an important medium for Portuguese artistic expression for more than five centuries.
History is once again retold, this time inserted in the 'add fuel to the fire' universe - the work of Diogo Machado; where the Azulejo tile is turned into a mass of colour, characters, shapes and details.These were some of my early street ceramic interventions.
Street Ceramics - OFF-WOOL
AZ07, AZ09A, AZ09B & AZ09C
In Portugal, the Azulejo tile is more than a mere decorative element of little intrinsic value. It has been an important medium for Portuguese artistic expression for more than five centuries.History is once again retold, this time inserted in the 'add fuel to the fire' universe - the work of Diogo Machado; where the Azulejo tile is turned into a mass of colour, characters, shapes and details.
WOOL off-fest; Recorded on the 22nd and 23rd of October 2011 in Covilhã, Portugal.
Thanks to Target, Lara, Pedro and Elisabet.
2012 • Urb4n Art LX (collective) . Influx Contemporary Art Gallery (PT)
2012 • Spaces Within . Pure Evil Gallery (UK)
2011 • Mugo LA Artwalk (collective) . The Medallion (USA)
2011 • Push Click (collective) . Montana Gallery Lisboa (PT)
2011 • Artitude . Centro Cultural Casapiano (PT)
2011 • Planet Fire . Montana Gallery Lisboa (PT)
2010 • Burnt (collective) . Together Gallery (USA)
2010 • Back to School 2022 . Restart (PT)
2010 • Sleight of Hand (collective) . Recoat Gallery (SCOT)
2010 • Sweet Cuts . Waves&Woods (PT)
2009 • LeCoqTuguese (Exd09) . Mercado da Ribeira (PT)
2009 • Cascais ArtSpace (collective) (PT)
2009 • Alfa Romeo Spazio Dual (collective) (PT)
2008 • Super Bock Street Art (collective) (PT)
2007 • Optimus Lab Tour (collective) (PT)
2007 • Red Bull Street Gallery (collective) (PT)
2006 • Madturnip's Madgic Trexi Custom Toy Design (collective) (FR)
Mural - Tem Sempre Encanto
Apart from the re-interpretation and twist to the traditional tiles I usually do, this mural also contains an important message which translates (roughly) to 'it's always charming', a twist to a local fado song that describes the city as 'charming when it's time to say goodbye'.
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A big thanks to Lara and Joana and thanks to everyone who smiled, said hello and visited during these days.
Street Ceramics - Mtv
AZ50 & AZ51
I was commissioned by Mtv Portugal to make this ceramic panel street instervention.This was recorded (that's actually my studio, yes) and then aired as part of Mtv's 10 year anniversary 'wishes' campaign. 'My wish is to return to my roots'. Cool stuff!
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Thanks to Marta and Debora, Victor and Bruno and everybody that made this possible.
AZ43, AZ44, AZ49A, AZ46 & AZ49-
My trip to Paris, March 2013.Mural - Mental Idade
MENTAL IDADE is a word game; Means MENTALITY and also means MENTAL AGE.
This mural is located in CHPL (Lisbon's Psychiatric Hospital) and is a stencil collaboration Add Fuel + Eime.A big thanks to Galeria de Arte Urbana | GAU, João Miguez and Hugo Jesus.
Mural - Antiga Mente Nova
Part of the WOOL on tour, this 22mt stencil mural in LX Factory, Lisbon, is part of the work I've been developing around the traditional portuguese tiles (called azulejos). A message is stated and a bridge is created between the traditional tiles, it's reinterpretation and the way the old meets the new. Through shapes, elements and techniques.
ANTIGA MENTE NOVA it's a word game between 'antigamente', 'antiga mente' and 'mente nova' ('formerly', 'old mind' and 'new mind').Big thanks and love to WOOL and Lara Seixo Rodrigues for the invitation and João Miguez for all the help.
Signed 'diogo machado' in bottom center back of the panel. Dated 2012. Unique item.
The FR Series are based on the more 'ornamental' and ' kitsch' side of the ceramic tiles. The 6 pieces presented here are heavily inspired in 60' and 70's french ceramics.
These tile panels are 200x200mm, ceramic and cement on PVC mount.Signed 'diogo machado' in bottom center back of the panel. Dated 2012. Unique items.
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Some of these pieces are still available, enquire if interested.
From top to bottom:
.AZFR122 - SOLD
.AZFR222
.AZFR322
.AZFR422
.AZFR522
.AZFR622
Street Ceramics - Açores
AZ22, AZ18 & AZ23
As part of Tradicional FTW (my work with ceramic tiles - azulejos), I left some pieces in Ponta Delgada, S.Miguel island in the Azores, Portugal.Big Thanks to Eime, Eme, Target and Francisco from Visual Kitchen for the help and video footage.
Ceramic Mural - Walk&Talk
This was my contribution to the Walk&Talk Public Art Festival in Ponta Delgada, Azores islands.
Part of the 'Morphing Series' I've been developing, this azulejo (ceramic tiles) mural consists of five independent modules that create an apparent sense of deconstruction throughout the entire piece. Like all of my azulejo work, it requires a closer look as it reveals that all the five modules connect between themselves and create a 'disguised unity'.-
30mt long, by 1,80mt (left) and 0,30mt (right) this piece was possible thanks to the amazing production and partnership with Revigrés.
Collective Projection Show
. Alexandre Farto/Vhils
. Antonio Bokel
. Arm Collective
. Diogo Machado/Add Fuel
. Lucas Almeida
. Lisa Rinnevuo
. Paulo Arraiano
. Tosco
. Robert Proch
. Kruella D'Enfer
. Zé da Paz
Pani Projection Team IM Communication (Magnus Lundin & Anders Jacobson)
Sound Design by Chico / Sideckickers Project
Produced By Chico And Sebastian Evers
Commissioned By Cascais City Hall (Represented By Maria João Paulino e Maria João Silva)
Tile panel 200x200mm (framing makes the piece around 260x260mm), ceramic and cement on PVC mount.
Signed 'diogo machado' in bottom center back of the panel. Dated 2012. Unique item.
This piece is part of the 'Morphing Series'.
Tile panel 600x400mm, ceramic and cement on wood mount.Signed 'diogo machado' in bottom center back of the panel. Dated 2012. Unique item.
Tile panel 800x800mm, ceramic and cement on wood mount.
Signed 'diogo machado' in bottom center back of the panel. Dated 2012. Unique item
Tile panel 400x400mm, (framing makes the piece around 430x430mm) ceramic and cement on wood mount.
Signed 'diogo machado' in bottom center back of the panel. Dated 2012. Unique item.
These pieces were originally part of the 'Spaces Within' show at Pure Evil Gallery (Feb 16th to 26th 2012).
A series of tiles which translate a re-interpretation of english medieval tiles, where the shapes and motifs are illustrative of the medieval life and beliefs, the magic and the myths.Each tile panel is 220x220mm (framing makes the piece around 340x340mm), ceramic and cement on PVC mount.
Some of these pieces are still available, enquire if interested.
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From top to bottom:
. The Goblin
. The Rabbit - SOLD
. The Nature - SOLD
. The Ghouls
. The Druid
. The Demons
. The Witch
. The Eye
. The Hunt - SOLD
Red Bull Portugal proposed the challenge to make 15 artworks, one for each pilot in the Red Bull Air Race. As a result, this 15 framed canvas, each inspired individually in the pilots background, interests and team colors. Each is signed in the back and has a text about the Portuguese Azulejo tile (check it after the images). Thanks to the nice people from Red Bull for once again, the opportunity to produce another great work.
In Portugal, the Azulejo tile is more than a mere decorative element of little intrinsic value. It has been an important medium for Portuguese artistic expression for more than five centuries. This conventional material is used both for its low cost as well as for its effective abilities of aesthetically qualifying a building in a practical way. With its strong scenographic, descriptive and monumental qualities, the Azulejo tile is nowadays considered one of the most original products of Portuguese culture, which reveals not only the history, but also the mentality and the aesthetics of each era.
Diogo Machado (a.k.a. add fuel to the fire) is a Portuguese artist related to the new Pop culture who draws inspiration from the quotidian, from life itself and from the urban environment. Urban culture and life in society have always had a strong influence on his work. Due to his roots, he has always been in touch and familiar with the standardisation of patterns produced by the murals of Azulejo tiles.
History is once again retold, this time inserted in the 'add fuel to the fire' universe, where the Azulejo tile is turned into a mass of colour, of detail, of pilots and aeroplanes: patterns individually designed for each of the pilots of the Red Bull Air Race 09 Porto.
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www.redbullairrace.com
'Thinking Outside the Box' 4 color screenprint, 210x297mm, edition of 9, numbered and signed 2009.
'Crossing the Circle' 4 color screenprint, 210x297mm, edition of 6 numbered and signed 2009.
Vinyl stickers with azulejo patterns.
Installation at ERSDR entrance hall. (2009)
180x240x38mm, acrylic and markers on canvas. Signed and dated 2008 in the back.
10 artists were comissioned by Red Bull to create artworks to be displayed in front of 10 museums in Lisbon.
I gotz me the 'São Roque Museum of Sacred Art' and created these kind of funny and satirical pieces about creationism, origins of beings and religious points of view.-
Artist list: Add fuel to the fire, Ram, Kuska, Minimal Animal, Skran, Mar, Quill, Vhils, Shiza, Yup.
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Big thanks to the Red Bull Team, Miguel Moore and ZDB Gallery
www.facebook.com/the.work.of.addfueltothefire
www.vimeo.com/addfueltothefire
VIDEO LINKShttps://vimeo.com/27586538
https://vimeo.com/31095115ideiasderua0@gmail.com
