Voo Visits: Rafaella Braga

The idea of belonging, conquest and demarcation of territory started with street language and was supported by groups and trends in Brazil’s local scene. What used to be the street’s pictorial act was transformed into the internal space. In her studio in Treptow, she has been developing and materializing her ideas mostly on large scale canvases that can take up entire walls. The four walls are now her diary. And to her, painting is a spiritual practice of self-reflection and release.

Voo Store: Who is Rafaella Braga? How did you find your way to art and how did you end up in Berlin?

Rafaella Braga: I am Brazilian born and raised. I first started with pixo, Sao Paulo’s distinctive street writing. It is my way of screaming my existence. Knowing that the next day my marks may be removed, it embraced the moment of defiance and impermanence of my works on the street.
I moved here after googling “Best cities for artists”. I really wanted to leave Brazil and Berlin seemed like the best place to go in terms of affordability and value and creativity. If was gonna move, I wanted to go to the best place. So I got here on the day of my 20th birthday with no money, but I was very determined to just work and pursue my dream.

V: I feel like this fearlessness really reflects in your work. It’s very bold, very dynamic.

R: Yeah, for me it’s always about experiences. Overcoming a hurdle, being happy, having fun. Being myself and translating all of my experiences onto the canvas, almost like a diary. My early work was very influenced by Brazil’s street art and graffiti, it was even more colourful than it is now. Then I’m also very inspired by the stars and different hues of the sky. I do a lot of manifestation practices and I feel like very time you want to manifest something, you go and look up in the sky.
Movement is also really important. I like to be in motion and I don’t like to sit down when creating something. I want to go with the flow, I want to feel the freedom of movement, so that it almost feels like a performance. When your body moves, you’re not in your head, you just let your body do the talking.

V: It sounds like your creative practice is very spiritually connected. Can you walk us through a day in your studio?

R: Yes, the studio is a sacred space for me. I like to feel that I am in a nice and special environment when I paint. I light up my candles and sage. I have my roses and tea. I like to put on some music. I eat some fruit because I usually come here right from the gym. I review my scribbles and thoughts, I’ve been writing down throughout the day. Then I just go with the flow.

V: Your painting are quite large in scale. Hundreds of years ago, paintings of this size were usually religious iconographies. Is there a reason for the scale of your paintings?

R: The movement of making larger works extrapolates the fear of creation. I want to create something that my entire body can really experience. Galleries are always surprised when they see how small I actually am.
A curator of mine once told me that if she hadn’t known me and seen my work, she would have thought it was actually made by a guy just because of the size. It really makes you aware of how people perceive your art and ultimately, yourself as an artist. But I find strength in the size of my paintings.

V: What is your relationship to the “Giants” in your paintings?

R: The giants share my experiences, they are the keepers of my secrets. When I enter my studio, it becomes another dimension where I exchange my deepest thoughts with them. Like a dance. I’ve begun to develop a greater respect for them and ultimately, for my work. They’re larger than me, they’re bolder, and they’re mystical but they are also a part of me and I want to give something back to them.

V: How do the different cities you’ve lived in influence your work?

R: When I first came to Berlin, my paintings became rather monochromatic. Almost as if the shades of grey in my environment flew into my colour palette. It changed again, when I went back to Brazil. Now it’s bit of a mix of both. I also lost the graffiti influence that I mentioned for a while because I don’t really connect to the street art here. Berlin’s street art is very influenced by punk and I was always more about hip hop. Then I went to New York, a city that really breathes hip hop twenty-four hours a day, and it inspired me to bring the spray paint back.
But I think in the end, it is life itself that inspires me the most.

V: Any new interesting projects or things you would like to share?

R: I’m thrilled about this project with Nike and The Fairest. I’ve always been wanting to do something with them and seeing this coming to life is just major for me. Then I have three solo shows coming this year - New York, L.A. and Brazil. I’m also working with some organisations in Brazil to give some- thing back to my country, maybe do something with kids. I’m really excited for this year.

Rafaella Braga created an exclusive installation for this collaboration that can be viewed at VooStore from March 28th until March 30th. The Nike Vomero 5 Sneaker in White/Silver is launching on March 30th in-store and online.