Art exhibition uses banknotes, portraits, lyrics for cultural effect

Aires, born in 1974, is described by the gallery as internationally acclaimed, mainly for his appropriation of icons, traditions and objects from the universe of contemporary popular culture and music. The exhibition is his first solo show in Hungary and will present works that deal with the visual representation of historical and political figures and events, mainly from a critical perspective, often with dark humour and cynicism, always keeping the current world political events in mind.

His works are said to transcend the technical specificities of photography, sculpture, installation, video art and happening, among other media. One of his main characteristics is transdisciplinarity. His playful formal solutions operate as a critical apparatus on contemporary social and political themes, using a specific set of motifs to explore the phenomena of the global capitalist economic system, the art market and historical narratives, predominantly through pop-cultural references.

The works use banknotes, portraits of public figures or lyrics to not only suspend the distinction between low and high culture, but also activate various hidden layers of meaning in the images and texts in question, emphasising their potential for cultural critique in contrast to their banality.

The opening speech is to be given by art historian Zsolt Petrányi, with words of greeting for the artist to be offered by Maria Nieves Blanco Díaz, Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of Spain in Budapest