Brazillian architect and artist Marina Esmeraldo explores her tropical upbringing through geometry and colour
Barcelona-based creative Marina Esmeraldo creates playful compositions inspired by architecture and her childhood in Brazil. The multidisciplinary artist and formally trained architect works across drawing, painting and sculpture, pairing geometric forms with bold flashes of colour. Her distinctive style has seen her develop an impressive personal portfolio of illustration and ceramic-based work, landing her many high-profile commissions from the likes of Google, Coca-Cola and Adidas.
Some of her most recent original works include the Infinite Mystery and Ritual Grounds collections, two series of pastel drawings that celebrate mindfulness and a meditative approach to creative practice.
“I’m an architect who draws, or an artist that builds — it depends on the mood! My work draws on my tropical upbringing, a Modernist training in Architecture and an innate wanderlust – I’m an artist who loves geometry, colour and tactile shapes.”
Originally from Brazil, Esmeraldo now lives and works in Barcelona’s Poblenou neighbourhood where she’s been based for the last ten years. Her studio is based in a warehouse space shared with an active community of fellow creatives that consistently host and promote local exhibitions. “There is a big collaborative spirit and the desire to try new things,” she explains, “which I’m always interested in being a part of.”
During Spain's first lockdown of 2020, Esmeraldo developed her Infinite Mystery series of pastel drawings, taking influence from this period’s experiences of grounding and consciousness. Through daily meditation and yoga, the artist found the soothing, repetitive nature of these exercises similar to the focused flow state of drawing. The works show overlapping shapes in pastel tones, mostly geometric and some that look like doors and stairways.
“In my mind, it felt like going through portals, which are architectural shapes, naturally.”
She explains how since her focus has become centred on practices that are “mindful or meditative,” listing drawing, ceramic and lithograph printing as her chosen mediums. Her latest series of drawings Ritual Shapes expands on grounding and inner contemplation in more depth, featuring a looser, more intuitive aesthetic.
The artist has also recently been working on her first book SOUVENIRS, featuring drawings, recipes and memories from childhood onward that look at themes of belonging, feminism, culture and food.
Esmeraldo recalls her creativity's inception as a child and describes how making art was “always her thing”. Now as a successful multidisciplinary artist, she expresses her gratitude towards being able to pursue her passions professionally.
“The freedom to spend my time as I will and the agency of creating something out of nothing are core principles for me. It is such a privilege to be able to make a living out of my passions, experimenting, exploring and playing, essentially. And beyond that, to connect with people through the work, and to form community, is also very rewarding.”
“I’ve tried my hand at many mediums, and discovered that drawing and sculpting with clay are the most satisfying for me; I love the independent nature of those disciplines. But I also really enjoy creating large scale, spatial pieces. I think it comes from the training in a 3D discipline like Architecture”
Previously training as an architect, Esmeraldo’s former education still guides her artistic practice through its structural and simplistic ways of thinking. Although she continues to be led by some architectural principles, the creative enjoys the freedom her practice as an artist allows.
“Architecture is a beautiful discipline and it is heavily informed by art, philosophy, semiotics, politics, culture. It’s a massively collaborative endeavour, as well as extremely technical and mathematical. I understood along the way that I wanted to focus more on the artistry and simplicity of accomplishing things alone.”
She notes how the Modernism and Modern Art movements also play a key role in her work, stating she admires how their “revolutionary statements and ideas” are usually paired with “simple bold forms”.
“I have a particular affinity for Brazilian Modernism, which integrates tropical, vibrant references into constructive elements and visual motifs, as seen in the work of Roberto Burle Marx, Athos Bulcão, Lina Bo Bardi, Oscar Niemeyer and many others.”
Another key area of inspiration stems from the artist’s interest in travel and the experiences it presents.
“I’m interested in the tension between alienation and belonging through travelling. There is a wealth of references to extricate from those experiences, which essentially form the human experience: landscapes, architecture, food, dance, music, craft, story-telling and literature.”
“For the past several years my research has revolved around memory, architecture and travel and it’s informed most of the projects I’ve worked on.”
“I like journaling, or free-writing, before I start work, to get abstract thoughts and concepts out of my head and onto paper. It’s proven to be a valuable tool to fire my creative brain. I also like to go on walks to clear my head and eyeball different things. I have historically struggled with blocks and resistance, and all of the above really help with that.”
Colour has also played an important role in Esmeraldo’s work, providing a link to her vibrant upbringing in Brazil.
“Colour has been kind of a mystery for me. I was obsessed with Minimalism when I was in architecture school, but I grew up watching sparkly, vibrant, colourful anime and surrounded by the rich, tropical culture in Brazil. When I started studying painting and making illustrations, I think the powerfully colourful nature of those formative references was bound to reappear.”
“Brazilian culture is immensely vast and diverse, and I am influenced by everything from the folklore, the music, the food, the rich tradition in crafts, the landscapes, the sea.”
The artist describes her current home of Barcelona as “reminiscent” of her Brazillian motherland with its “rich artistic and architectural traditions and Mediterranean atmosphere”.
“Another thing quite special about Barcelona is the cost and quality of living and the possibility to afford studio space and access to several types of workshops.”
“I’ve been very fortunate during this whole difficult time and I am grateful for it every day. This past year has helped me focus even more on my work and goals as an artist, as it has stripped away a lot of excuses. It has also shown me more than ever the value of community, and I’ve been happy to provide guidance and mentoring to aspiring artists and creatives in an effort to make the industry more equitable.”
“The amazing thing is that that can resonate with other people and organisations who share my interests and values, like wanderlust, geometry, colour, balance, sensuality, joie de vivre.”
“I make work for myself, creating pieces with intention that aids in beauty and ritual. I hope to continue to do this work for the rest of my life, and to help others along the way.”
See more work by Marina Esmeraldo here.
All images by photographer Enric Badrinas.