Raphael Oboé

Raphael Oboé (b. 1995) is native of Jundiaí, in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil. His interest in art dates back to his childhood, and at the age of 15, he began developing his artistic expression through graffiti and street art.

 

Later on, encounters with artistic traditions of South American First Nations transformed his production, both in street art, where the artist developed an extensive trajectory, and in ceramics, his primary medium of work today.

 

Through ceramics, Oboé intertwines elements of his personal history, retrieving family memories and exploring processes of miscegenation and identity erasure, referencing ancestral traditions in the art of Latin American peoples in an empirical and intuitive manner.

 

Oboé’s work and research gained momentum in 2019 when the artist experienced a serious motorcycle accident that left him bedridden for two years. During this period, he dedicated himself to intensive study of ceramic techniques, minerals, and related cultures, conducting in-depth research in this field while coping with various surgeries and psychological challenges resulting from temporary disability. Using his experience as a tool for personal transformation, the artist’s body of work represents a process of reframing pain and trauma.

 

Oboé has held three solo exhibitions and participated in group shows such as “The Medium is the Massage” at Galeria Simões de Assis and “Living Stone Serra da Capivara: The Legacy of Niède Guidon” at the Brazilian Museum of Sculpture.