Henrique Oliveira uses the recently opened Anexo Millan to present a pot-pourri of his most recent creations and to show the public the new developments emerging from his studies. Ten years after his first solo exhibition, Henrique still shows great versatility, simultaneously exploring different techniques and paths while also working on painting, sculpture and installation, with enormous national and international success. However, his more recent works, such as those exhibited in Paris last year, contain subtle but striking changes, resulting in more harmony between the various paths the artist has forged. Rather than belonging to two completely different fields, the two-dimensional and three-dimensional languages are clearly drawing closer to each other and there is more integration between these universes. His more recent paintings, for example, seem to be making overtures to the earth and pink tones that dominate his famous installations, made from the remains of construction hoardings. “Somehow, the works are conversing more with each other”, admits Oliveira.

Recently, Henrique has invested in a deeper connection with issues relating to surrealism, which has broadened the possibilities for reading this work that counts the diversity of interpretative paths among its strongest attractions; these include his intimate relationship with the destructive effects of uncontrolled urban development, the exploration of the infinite possibilities for confrontation, the growing juxtaposition between organic and geometric forms or a tribute to Nature’s capacity for recovery, making a two-fold and integrated stand for the reconstruction of Nature and the indictment of urban marginalization.