By Vitoria Monteiro de Carvalho
Translated from Portuguese
“Through painting, I want to show a new way of seeing the world,” says artist Sophia Loeb.
Born in São Paulo and based in London, Sophia uses vibrant colors and textures to portray a specific way of seeing the world through a lens that moves between the micro and macro. Sophia obtained her degree in Fine Art and Art History from Goldsmiths University in London and her MA from the Royal College of Art, also in London.
Sophia has increasingly stood out in the art world – she has had several group and solo exhibitions, and her works are part of renowned and highly regarded international collections, such as the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami, the Green Family Art Foundation in Dallas and the Museum of Modern Art in Fort Worth, in the United States.
Brazil as inspiration
For Sophia, Brazil is a source of inspiration. Every time she returns to Brazil, the artist discovers new ways of interpreting the nature around her, especially in light of Brazil’s unique biodiversity. Her paintings are also influenced by other creative fields, such as music. “Being Brazilian and being in contact with Brazil is fundamental to my work; it nourishes my creativity and thinking,” she says.
Nature as a pictorial language
The organic and biomorphic forms of nature play a central role in Sophia’s creative process. She observes how natural elements originate from one another and follow their own unique, imperfect and harmonious flow. The reflection of the sun on lakes. The way a forest behaves next to a river. The light that refracts in flowers. The different tones of biomes. All of these natural processes are subtly portrayed in her paintings. Art and abstraction are vehicles for a unique immersion, moving the gaze between the micro and the macro, adopting a topographic, immersive and moving perspective.
Vibrant colors and vivid textures
Sophia uses color in her works intuitively, and her choice of bright colors references exotic nature. For Sophia, color is celebration: “Color conveys joy in life and gratitude for life. I want people to feel this when they see my paintings,” she explains.
In her works, each color is associated with a specific texture, creating a unique visual vocabulary. Her paintings are diverse and organic, but colors and textures generally follow a pattern. The artist sees this relationship between color and texture as a way of translating the intense and fervent pulse of nature, a vitality that, according to her, also defines Brazil.
The impasto technique, in which paint is applied in visible layers, was used by artists such as Claude Monet (1840-1926) and Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890),and serves as a historical reference for understanding the expressive use of paint in painting. Sophia also produces three-dimensional textures in her paintings, but in a unique way. Her creations are detailed and meticulous, combining spatulas, brushes and hands, giving her works a sculptural character, the result of her studies in sculpture at Goldsmiths University. During her creative process, Sophia positions the canvas on the floor or suspended, alternating directions.
This organic process of painting with the canvas in different directions allows the artist to broaden her vision and find new creative solutions for her compositions.
Emotions and reflections
Sophia recalls a defining moment when she heard from a visitor that she had lost interest in painting, but that her works had made her rediscover her love for the technique.
In modern times, Sophia’s work invites us to pause in time and contemplate the details, promoting new discoveries with each encounter with her paintings. “I hope my paintings bring happiness,” she says, “like someone receiving a bouquet of flowers.
Upcoming exhibitions
The work Pilgrims to you (2024) will be on display from today in the fourth edition of the exhibition Aberto, which takes place in Paris from May 14 to June 8 at Maison La Roche, a house designed by the modernist architect Le Corbusier (1887-1965).
Sophia will hold her first solo exhibition in Brazil at Carpintaria, in Rio de Janeiro, presented by Galeria Fortes D'Aloia & Gabriel. The opening will take place on June 5, from 6 pm to 9 pm, and the show will run until July 26, 2025. The exhibition brings together a set of paintings produced over the last six months in the artist's studio in São Paulo.
