Chany Duscio, born in Buenos Aires, has lived in Brazil since 2017. She graduated as a Senior Professor of Visual Arts in Argentina and has participated in solo and collective exhibitions in both her home country and Brazil. She has served as an art teacher in programs focused on peripheral communities in Buenos Aires and coordinated "eco-mural" workshops with public school students. In 2018, she settled in Chapada Diamantina to study the richness of Northeastern popular culture. She participated in CowParade Salvador and various urban art festivals. Chany illustrated the "Mulheres que sonham" (Women Who Dream) campaign for Hershey’s and received recognition through the Lei Aldir Blanc in Lençóis (BA), where she lived for six years, leaving behind a vast body of mural work. Currently residing in Salvador, she continues to develop her work and is preparing for the Comover artistic residency in the state of São Paulo this March.
How did your journey into the art world begin?
From a very early age, art was a part of my life. My father, an architect, always encouraged my natural interest by providing paints and brushes and taking me to exhibitions and museums. I graduated from the School of Fine Arts in Argentina, and shortly after, I set out on a journey around the world, seeking to experience the works of the great masters firsthand.
How would you describe your artistic style?
I have always believed in the importance of a solid academic background, which is essential for developing one's own language. In my case, light became a central element in creating the atmosphere of each work. Upon arriving in Bahia, I was immediately struck by the intensity of the colors. Illuminated by the verticality of the tropical sun, the tones become more saturated, and the absence of half-shadows accentuates contrasts. The soft palette of pastel colors and the oblique light of my homeland—which draws long, delicate shadows—gave way to the more vibrant palettes and striking contrasts of Bahia.
What themes do you prefer to explore in your works?
When I arrived in Bahia, I settled in Chapada Diamantina with the intention of deepening my knowledge of the rich and diverse traditions and popular culture of the interior. There, I found inspiration in the landscapes of the mountains and the caatinga, in Quilombola communities, in festivities such as jaré and ternos de reis, in the stories of diamond mining, and in the daily lives of the people who inhabit this region. I am interested in exploring popular daily life, affections, and everyday tasks within the framework of the imposing nature of the tropics.
What are your sources of inspiration?
The experience of nature itself inspires me; I usually take notes and sketches while making direct observations of landscapes and natural elements. The effects of light—creating specific environments and a richness of nuances—are also inspiring in my work. Manifestations of human sensitivity, affections, traditions, and devotion are permanent sources of inspiration.
Have you participated in any notable exhibitions that you would like to share?
Participating in CowParade Salvador 2019 was a milestone in my journey. It was an opportunity to meet and work alongside great artists in a massive collective studio, witnessing their creative processes. Each of us had to intervene on a life-sized cow sculpture, with freedom to choose techniques and materials. In my case, I chose pens and markers to draw countless leaves and branches that entirely covered the surface of my "Vaca da Mata" (Forest Cow).
