BASE-ALPHA GALLERY

RICARDO ALCAIDE — CONTINUUM

07.12.24 - 15.02.25

Ricardo Alcaide was born in 1967 in Caracas, Venezuela, and currently lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium.
Growing up in Caracas during the early 1970s, Alcaide was shaped by the stark contrast between the country’s petroleum-driven wealth and its persistent political instability. After living in London for over a decade, his later move to São Paulo exposed him to the architectural rigor of concretism, enriching his understanding of the Latin American Modernist Movement and its intersections with social and economic realities.

Alcaide’s work frequently explores the aesthetics of urban decay and the social dynamics of cities. Employing materials such as concrete, wood and construction debris, he creates minimalist yet impactful compositions that address themes of displacement. His recent juxtaposition of pristine finishes with raw, unfinished textures serves as a metaphor for the instabilities and contradictions of Latin America’s socio-political environment.

Recently, Alcaide has drawn inspiration from revisiting Venezuela’s rich tradition of abstract art. This has led to a rediscovery of affinities with key figures of the 1960s, such as Alejandro Otero, Jesús Rafael Soto, and Carlos Cruz-Diez. Their groundbreaking work in kinetic and abstract art has subtly influenced his early understanding of form and aesthetics and continues to resonate in his practice. His current exploration of repetitive patterns—straight lines arranged diagonally and vertically—reflects this heritage, while introducing new elements, such as bricks, into his compositions. These physical objects create a dialogue between abstraction and materiality, bridging historical influences with his contemporary vision.

Upon relocating to Belgium, Alcaide encountered the modernist legacy of Antwerp, a vibrant art hub during the mid-20th century. The casual discovery of Belgian modernists like Jef Verheyen and Walter Leblanc, alongside pivotal exhibitions such as “G58” and “Vision in Motion” by Pol Bury, further enriched his creative perspective. This convergence of influences informs his latest body of work, presented in CONTINUUM at Base-Alpha Gallery. In this exhibition, Alcaide intertwines the heritage of Venezuelan abstraction with the European modernist ethos, exploring the interplay of history, materiality and perception.