ARTIST STATEMENT
Edgard’s primary focus centers on examining the role of commercial imagery and messaging in shaping memory and identity. His work explores deconstruction as a means to understand and mirror the fragmented space where memories exist in our minds. Edgard is particularly interested in how commercial images permeate memories and meld emotionally with personal moments, shaping identity, self-expression, and a broader understanding of the world.
His collage process involves a multi-step approach that begins with an origami-like technique he developed, which he calls 'korigami,' where abstraction is achieved through folding rather than the conventional method of cutting.
ARTIST BIO
Edgard Barbosa is a Brazilian artist and designer based in New York City. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Florida Atlantic University in 2014 and is currently a senior art director at George P. Johnson.
Born in Petropolis, Brazil, Edgard grew up influenced by the architectural history and cultural scene of his hometown. From public schools designed by Oscar Niemeyer to graffitied skateparks, he developed an early understanding of high and low art coexisting.
At age 15, Edgard and his family immigrated to the suburbs of South Florida. Unable to speak English fluently, he gravitated towards the visual arts as a means of communication in school.
Through his immigrant experience, Edgard learned to view the world from an observer's perspective, using what was immediately around him—magazines, memes, videos, flyers—to express and explore larger themes of memory, identity, and the role commercial images play in shaping these concepts.
His work has been included in various group shows in New York City, Florida, and Washington.