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Hugo Negrini

"I am Brazilian, born in the state of São Paulo. My artistic path began in carving and furniture crafting, and I specialized in wood restoration. I am also self-taught in woodcut prints and sculpture.

"In 1994, through a woodcut print project, I had my first contact with the Ketu religion of the orixás ['orishas' or 'gods']. By chance, that contact happened in a Candomblé house, or temple compound, of the Gêge Nagô group formed by worshippers of Ketu, Gêge and Ijexá origin [the three dominant kinds of Candomblé centers]. This group resulted from the fusion of beliefs from different African sects; in Brazil they are the purest, most powerful and most respected.

In 1995, I was confirmed as an obá in the tradition of the Xangô in Africa and of certain Brazilian Xangô temples. Obás are Xangô ministers and they participate directly in the administration of the temple, along with the babalorixá or iyalorixá. They exist in groups of twelve, and the position is theirs for life. I was confirmed an obá with the name of Otun Obá Maiê by the iyalorixá, Sílvia de Oxalá, of the Candomblé temple Axé Ilê Obá. In that same year, I created an office of Odô Iyá Art in the temple, where I offered courses in sculpture and woodcuts to the entire community through 2000.

"At present, I dedicate myself exclusively to the creation and execution of orixá sculptures and insignia, their shaping and reproduction. In this new phase of work, I collaborate in the aesthetic area of study with anthropologist Rita de Cássia do Amaral. She is responsible for the ethnographic collection of Afro-Brazilian religion of the University of São Paulo Museum of Archeology and Ethnology – MAE USP. Without her support, this work would be infeasible."

To create these extraordinary works, Negrini first carves the image in wood, taking as long as 50 or 60 days depending on the degree of details in the piece. When the statuette is ready, he makes a silicone rubber mold, and casts the sculpture in resin.