Rodrigo Cunha (Florianópolis, SC, Brazil, 1976) lives and works in Florianópolis. He graduated in Painting and Printmaking from the Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC, 2002) and has devoted his practice to paintings centred on the human figure and interior scenes.
Cunha's practice constructs pictorial planes in which elements seem to slip beyond the edges of the canvas, while figures drawn from the artist's imagination reveal their intimacy through restrained poses. Some compositions include paintings within paintings, a device that establishes a dialogue with 20th-century figurative painting. The bedroom, the corner and the domestic interior recur as settings, while a palette of muted tones reinforces an atmosphere of intimacy and introspection.
Cunha was nominated for the Prêmio PIPA (a leading Brazilian contemporary art award) in 2014. He has held four solo exhibitions at Zipper Galeria: Ronda Vespertina (2022); Hora do Intervalo (2018); Jardim Cético (2015); and O Mundo de Dentro (2012, curated by Josué Mattos). Other notable solo exhibitions include A Figura Humana at Caixa Cultural Rio de Janeiro (2014); Etérea at Instituto Collaço Paulo (Florianópolis, 2023); Pontos de Vida at Centro Cultural Veras (Florianópolis, 2024); O Tao Feminino at Fundação Cultural Badesc (Florianópolis, 2019); Diálogos com Desterro at Museu Vitor Meirelles (Florianópolis, 2008); and Temas para uma Realidade at Galeria Multipla de Arte (São Paulo, 2009).
He has taken part in group exhibitions including Coleção Sartori at Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul (Porto Alegre, 2022); Como o Tempo Passa Quando a Gente se Diverte at Casa Triângulo (São Paulo, 2011, curated by Josué Mattos); Antípodas Contemporâneas at the Pólo SC of the Bienal de Curitiba (Florianópolis, 2017); MASC 70 Anos at Museu de Arte de Santa Catarina (2018); Rumos Artes Visuais at Instituto Itaú Cultural (São Paulo, 2005); Artistas Brasileiros: Novos Talentos at the Salão Branco of the National Congress (Brasília, 2009); and the 13th Salão Nacional de Artes de Itajaí (2013). His work is held in the collections of Fundação Cultural Badesc (Florianópolis), Galeria de Arte da UFSC, Museu de Arte de Santa Catarina and SESC Santa Catarina.