Bio: Ana Elisa Egreja, born 1983, lives and works in São Paulo, Brazil
Title of work: Pink Table with Chinoiserie and Roseate Spoonbills [Mesa Rosa com Chinoiserie e Colhereiros-Rosados], 2026.
Where to see it:
Ana Elisa Egreja: “The Flight of Color”
Jessica Silverman Gallery
621 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
Through September 5, 2026
Three words to describe this work: Pink, Chinoiserie, Excess.
What was on your mind at the time: Color was the starting point. I really wanted to make a painting using pink, gold, and blue. The colhereiro, a bird from the Pantanal (one of Brazil’s major biomes), had exactly the tones I was looking for to guide the palette.
An interesting feature that’s not immediately noticeable:
I’m not sure if it’s something viewers immediately notice, but the painting begins with a real-life staging. Long before I start painting, I begin gathering everything I want to include: the fabric, the Chinese porcelain, serving platters, fruits, and vegetables. I arrange the entire composition on the table in my studio, and only then do the long months of painting begin.
How the work reflects your practice as a whole: It reflects my practice in every way. It is a large still life, a genre that has accompanied me for the past twenty years. It brings together references to classical Dutch painting with the sense of the absurd and fantasy inspired by one of my greatest influences: Latin American magical realism. It also features the gold-leaf sky, borrowed from medieval painting and reimagined within a new tropical reality. And finally, it embraces the warm, vibrant palette that has always been my favorite.
One song that captures the work’s essence: “Você Não Entende Nada.” Written by Caetano Veloso, performed by Gal Costa.
