Paulo Tercio: gratitude that moves universes

29 Nov, 2013

Read in English below | Leia em Português aqui

By Manoela dos Anjos Afonso
Translation by Harriet Batey
Series “Circulating Voices”

Paulo Tercio was born in Minas Gerais, was reborn in Lisbon and currently lives in London. When looking back to the distant Brazil of his childhood, and despite the immense gratitude he felt towards his home country, Paulo recalls having to leave during his adolescence, mostly due to the internal and external conflicts occurring at the time. In an act of courage, at around 18 years old, he moved to Europe: at first he visited London several times and, afterwards went to live in Portugal.

In Portugal, Paulo completed his studies, fell in love with Lisbon, made friends, took on the nuances of the language and became a Portuguese citizen. Nevertheless, after 14 years of living in this country, he decided to launch himself again into the wider world, choosing cosmopolitan and multicultural London as the place to broaden his activities and live through new experiences. It was here that Paulo began to meet various artists, and some of them not only inspired him, but also stimulated him to start producing his own art. One of them, who later became a great friend, was the fashion designer Arkadius . Recalling the factors that pushed him to follow the pathway of art, Paulo Tercio principally mentions a question posed by Arkadius: “ But why don’t you paint? ” , his friend asked. Paulo then felt motivated to find ways to create images from his ideas and experiences.

The artist Paulo Tercio next to his painting Virgin and Child of St Andrew’s Fulham.
Technique: oil on linen with 24K gold leaf. Dimensions: 76 x 60 cm. Year: 2013

His first experimentation with design and painting were developed during activities offered by Hammersmith and Fulham Mind , in mid-2011. Whilst seeking treatment for problems affecting his mental health, Paulo found a form of therapy within design and painting. He started to produce drawings related to intense and difficult moments in his life. The artist has over 20 sketches created during this period, some of which will be used in future art projects.

Contact with artists who had more experience in painting and who were also being treated in that institution was a great encouragement for Paulo to develop his artistic practice, a process that was also part of his therapy : “ Art works as a kind of therapy for the creator, enabling both his mind and soul ”, says the artist.

As his artistic practice became more regular, Paulo Tercio decided to look for practical and theoretical training in Fine Art in institutions specifically linked to the arts. In 2012, he studied History of Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art , and also joined a painting course at Slade School of Fine Art . Paulo chose Slade specifically because several of the artists he admired had studied there, such as the Portuguese painter Paula Rego, and the Brazilian artist Ana Maria Pacheco. Conducted in a free manner, the course at Slade included not only training in painting, but also stimulated his thoughts about creation in contemporary art. At Slade, as his final piece of work, Paulo Tercio developed a panel piece comprised of three oil paintings, which were immediately published in the Prospero International Art Book , in Portugal.

Alongside completion of his course at Slade, the artist decided to produce a piece of art from a spiritual vision which he had in 2008 in a church in West London. Paulo recorded the vision on film: “ I filmed by myself. I recorded it with my mobile phone when I realised that the thing was a vision. It was all recorded and kept to be published in the right time, and in a right way ”. As a result of this process, the artist created the painting , finished in May 2013, and can be visited until March 2014 at the St Andrew Fulham Church, London. Paulo says, emotionally: “ This piece is a divine creation, representative of the vision I saw. I was taken to the St Andrew’s Fulham, where I had the vision, but for health reasons I didn’t touch in the recording material. Thankfully I kept it, and through a personal healing process I began to explore my artistic side ”. On 13 ^th November 2013, the painting was inaugurated at the church itself: “ It was a historic event, because it was within a social, cultural and spiritual context. I have to emphasise the spiritual, musical and artistic depth to the ceremony, the amazing beauty of unveiling the painting which was covered by a black veil, and by the way everything ran so smoothly, it was a sunny morning, the sun’s rays came through the stained glass windows, lighting and blessing the painting. It was an epic moment! ” , he recalls.

Paulo Tercio is an artist who has been profoundly touched by the social conditions of human beings, and by the spiritual connections they can establish. He participates once a week in a project promoted by West London Churches that helps the homeless. When the artist completed the piece Virgin and Child of St Andrew’s Fulham, he decided to do something to support this project too: “ I do not see myself as a person with a permanent place to live. I have attended the West London Churches project for some time also as a way to leave my house, because I am a very reclusive person. I go when I can, when my health allows me to, generally once a week. I believe that gratitude is fundamental in human life and generates happiness and spiritual growth. In other words, from the moment you are grateful, you begin to feel happy. Basing myself around this principal I decided to publish my first art work as a thank you, thus gaining a sense of universalism, with social, spiritual and cultural responsibility ”.

For Father Canon Guy Wilkinson of St Andrew’s Church Fulham, “ The painting of the Virgin and Child of St Andrew’s is both particular to this church and also universal. It is particular to St Andrew’s because it was there that the vision was given to the artist that has been reproduced faithfully in the painting; and it is universal because down the centuries and across the continents visions of Mary have given rise to great works of art and to movements of the heart ”. Paulo also comments how the priest observes the relationship between participants in the project and his painting: “ The Father told me that the homeless come here to the chapel to contemplate the painting and pray, and this contributes to them spiritually ”.

Paulo Tercio, Triptych. Title of each painting: Pieta (left), The Ghost Of Mariusz (centre), Temazepam Flowers (right). Full dimension: 50 x 120 cm. Technique: oil on linen with 24K gold leaf. Year: 2012

When Paulo Tercio decided to create such a special piece in his life, he never imagined how the events would unfold. At the beginning, not only did the Church welcome and encourage his work, but other people and institutions helped also: “ In desperation, I took the painting, went to a store in South Kensington called Campbells of London , I knew no one there. I showed the painting to them and spoke about the project to see what could happen. Not only did they love the painting, but also they were touched by the proposal, and then they contributed to the project with a classic Byron gold frame, fully hand made in wood. It is a magnificent frame, valued at £3,000. Almost ten prints have been sold to date at a price of £150 each, so a total of £1,500. We still have 20 prints to sell, and all the profits go towards the homeless project at St Andrew’s Fulham. Also, 200 postcards have been printed in Giclée, all in high quality. The sense of appreciation in art is also important, what it can provoke in people ”.

Paulo Tercio is inspired by some of the masters of painting who also have drawn on religious themes, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Titian and Bronzino, which you can see at the National Gallery. Furthermore, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Paula Rego, Ana Maria Pacheco and Arkadius are cited as important influences on his work. “ True art is grand in its universal sense, provoking strong emotions in the observer, whilst allowing them to have their own subjective interpretation. This would be my definition of art at the moment. To be an artist in London is a subjective and unique experience. In my case nothing was planned, everything is happening. Nevertheless, London offers many possibilities to artists and I am very grateful to the UK for this. However, everything depends on the art that is created and the professionalism of the creator ” . Currently Paulo lives immersed in a complex life, as he continues in health treatment and his creation acts also as a form of therapy. “ My creative process depends on my health, but generally starts with a universal idea, from there I do various drawings and sketches, follow by making the final piece using oil paint and finishing ”.

Paulo Tercio. Nothing Is What It Seems II. Technique: oil on cotton with 24K gold leaf. Dimensions: 79x61cm. Year: 2013

In the future, the artist thinks about returning to Brazil. But this will be a slow process, as he has been away for a long time: “ I believe that birth is a biological and spiritual event. The soul comes from heaven to the fetus and establishes itself there. My return to Brazil will be slow, it depends on events that are yet to come ” . Still when talking about the future, Paulo reveals a desire to build a space that can be used both as a place to produce and exhibit his work: “ I like when the viewer can feel a little bit of my experience. In the near future I will build my House Museum based exactly on this context. I do not get rid of anything, even the clothes used while I am painting, they will be transformed into works of art and subsequently displayed. The idea is also to direct the profits to some charitable institutions ”.

As a final message, Paulo reaffirms the importance of gratitude in his life: “ Every difficulty we come across is a benefit to our soul, it lets us grow. Therefore, gratitude is fundamental in our reconnection with God ” .