Liturgy on Canvas: Thix’s Quiet Invocation of Identity and Loss
April 7, 2025
“Réquiem para um Nome” (“Requiem for a Name”) is a 2024 oil on canvas painting by Brazilian artist Thix. Measuring 70 × 60 cm, this work was featured in Thix’s inaugural solo exhibition at Galeria Silvia Cintra + Box4 in Rio de Janeiro, which ran from November 28 to December 19, 2024.
Artist Background
Born in Porto Alegre in 1982, Thix studied drawing and painting at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy and the Barcelona Academy of Art in Spain, with additional training at the Grand Central Atelier in New York. Currently residing in Rio de Janeiro, Thix’s work focuses on themes of identity, memory, and the representation of non-normative identities.
Exhibition Context
The exhibition “Réquiem para um Nome” comprised 28 previously unseen portraits that explore autobiographical themes such as grief and transition, alongside a celebration of collective histories of non-normative identities. Thix brings dissident bodies into paintings of historical reference that evoke the honorific portrait—images of power and respect—to construct her own queer pinacotheca as a “manifestation work,” in an operation that claims the presence of bodies interdicted by dominant modes of discourse and narrative construction.
Artistic Themes and Interpretation
“Réquiem para um Nome” serves as both an elegy and a reclamation. It gestures toward those whose names were not meant to survive in public record—trans people, Black people, queer people, the disappeared. Thix’s work, in this context, becomes a visual liturgy: honoring those once denied their image.
The brushwork is gentle but firm, with textures that hint at skin, veil, or even parchment. There is reverence in restraint. The painting invites viewers to reflect on the transient nature of identity and the importance of remembrance.
Critical Reception
Critics have praised Thix’s ability to intertwine personal narratives with broader social commentaries. The exhibition was noted for its emotional depth and intellectual rigor, positioning Thix as a significant voice in contemporary Brazilian art. The artist’s approach to reimagining traditional portraiture through a queer lens has been highlighted as a powerful method of challenging and expanding the canon of art history.
Flow
“Réquiem para um Nome” stands as a testament to Thix’s commitment to exploring complex themes of identity, memory, and representation. Through this work, the artist not only pays homage to those who have been marginalized but also invites viewers to engage in a contemplative dialogue about the ways in which art can serve as a medium for both personal and collective remembrance.M
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