Arts | Daniel Flores debuts ‘intimate drawings’

Daniel Flores

Macau-born artist Daniel Vicente Flores is hosting his first exhibition at Albergue SCM.

For his debut, Flores – who lived in Macau between 1989 and 1999, and visits frequently – presents a series of 33 Chinese ink drawings. In these, he explores topics such as the “self” and intimacy, as a way of communicating what goes on inside his mind, which is troubled by several disorders that he is not afraid to discuss.

Neurosis, obsession, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are some of the ailments that Flores translates into various art forms –  illustration and more recently, poetry and music composition.

In his art, he takes a private and critical stance toward “heavy topics” that materialize as a disquieting reality. Self-portraits such as “Psychotic” and “Paranoid” self-portraits, as well as “Fear”, “Dyonisia”, “Manic Depression” and “Consumed by Consumption” are just some works that serve as examples of this.

The works were created between 2006 and 2016, and depict different stages of the artist’s life.

Flores told the Times that “the works have different collections, but the topic that brings them together is always ‘me’ – it is very personal and about myself.”

Although the works on display date back to 2006, most of the art displayed at the exhibition was completed in the last five years.

“There is a big difference [between the old and new collections] … I kind of lost my way of drawing when I decided to learn how to compose [music]. I had to relearn how to draw, which influenced me and changed my style,” said Flores.

These changes primarily involve the introduction of musical elements into his art, said Flores, who is “currently using [parts] of music composition in [his] drawings.”

Nevertheless, Flores says the way he sees his “self” remains the same over time, explaining that what he learned from music is “more tools [to perform my artist work].”

The exhibition will be on display at Gallery A2 until June 4. The artist has also launched a book of his drawings and poetry, titled “Impressões” (Impressions).