BLUE FACE the poem

Salvador Dali Art Dealer Family Endorsement and Letter of Recommendation

For: Adriana Santos De Castro, New York Brazilian Artist; www.adrianadecastro.com

“De Castro’s art was stunning for what I saw, especially the website series 7 and The Cross; the influence in her art is not only Pablo (Picasso) or Salvador (Dali), it is the cubism in general that acquires the top of the depuration; Miro would be so proud of that perfection.”

The art of Adriana De Castro represents a subtle but constant shifting in recurrent themes. Her characters often have oddly shaped faces, reminiscent of facial features, yet morphed, as masks, or just eyes. There is also a strong and consistent presence of the “Eye of Ohuya”, or, Eye of Horus - the Egyptian sacred symbolism of Cosmo genesis and universal creation. Variant themes of these eyes – in singularity or multiplicity – are seen in everything she has put to paper or canvas.

From my perspective, these faces and forms reflect her conscious as well as, we can surmise, subconscious “connection” and interest in the Native Latin American and Ancient Egyptian civilizations. De Castro’s uses of color and palette are also consistently balanced between warm tropical hues as well as pervasive uses of harmonious earth tones and other natural colors … typical of those two dissimilar-yet-similar influences. (Ironically, the artist is of strong Egyptian and Middle Eastern origin as well as rooted from a classically Brazilian family).

De Castro’s artistic forms, additionally, will at times include morphed quasi-human or semi-human or animal like forms - similar to those found in other North African prototypes. This entourage is always inclusive of mythical or angelic type considerations, and, as often it is the case, De Castro’s Female and Feminine themes have renderings where the women are masked.

As a lifelong friend and student of Salvador Dali, (my grandfather was his 1^st Manager / Dealer, Oriol Bohigas) - from whom I have acquired two very unique Limited Editions, with a signed Picasso in my collection as well, I can state unequivocally that this type of work is often referred to be derivative of early cubism, and therefore, ranks high in the framework of this theme in modern art initiated by Picasso and Braque.

Although, in moments, De Castro’s style appear tentative, its startling combination of primary and secondary or multiple views of the central figure, allows for front and back and lateral views of the common theme to be juxtaposed subtly yet convincingly within more or less the best context and conventional space for which the figure is to be set and studied. This makes for long “eye time” and pondering, and, as I am suggesting, there is no quick glance at a De Castro – her work is far too sophisticated and complex for a rapid view. In all, refreshingly deep, complex art -

innocent but at times not; pure yet at times appropriately “playful”; her fruit ripe with meaning.

Dr. Virgilio Vinas, [Virgilio.Vinas@BSNmedical.com] – available via phone by appointment – Dr. Vinas remains a friend, advocate and collector of art works by Brazilian New York artist Dayana De Castro - grandson of Salvador Dali’s primary Art Dealer / Manager; lifelong friend / collector of Dali.

Dear, friend, this is for you, with all my feelings in colors, hoping they can touch your dreams, awakening my art in your life … and if you can send me your thoughts, I will be so grateful! … I’m just an artist from Brazil, where the destiny brought me to the US in 1997 … when so many things in my life were falling apart … I got lost and isolated in a strange, different world … at that time, not knowing how to speak English, I crossed so many obstacles, beneath my eye … and finding the magic of faith, I resolved to change all the negative to positive … transforming them into hundreds pieces of art … now I am learning how to write in English, to transform infinite emotions, in my mind … and release them free as birds, to fly around your light .