February 13–March 13, 2021
Steve Turner is pleased to present Best In Show, a solo exhibition by Lisbon-based Ricardo Passaporte consisting of six new paintings that depict close-up portraits of recent Westminster Kennel Dog Show winners. While these spray-painted portraits of Rumor, Flynn, King, Babar, Miss P and CJ share a uniform blue background, each dog is a specific, identifiable breed, a “brand” vying for popularity, “likes” and market share. The dogs, however, lack the usual “cute” characteristics associated with breeds and dog portraits— instead, Passaporte has replaced the cliche with a neutral, abstract quality, one that liberates both the dog and the viewer from the suffocating effects of marketing, advertising and consumerism. Ricardo Passaporte (born 1987, Lisbon) has had solo exhibitions at L21, Palma de Mallorca (2020); Ruttkowski68, Paris (2017 & 2018); Eduardo Secci, Florence (2018) and Annarumma, Naples (2017). This is his first exhibition with Steve Turner. For his 2021 solo exhibition, Ricardo Passaporte painted portraits of dogs that were Westminster Kennel Dog Show winners. While these spray-painted portraits of Rumor, Flynn, King, Babar, Miss P and CJ share a uniform blue background, each dog is a specific, identifiable breed, a “brand” vying for popularity, “likes” and market share. The dogs, however, lack the usual “cute” characteristics associated with breeds and dog portraits— instead, Passaporte has replaced the cliche with a neutral, abstract quality, one that liberates both the dog and the viewer from the suffocating effects of marketing, advertising and consumerism. Born 1987, Lisbon, Portugal Education 2011 2007 Solo Exhibitions 2020 2018 2017 2016 Group Exhibitions 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 Bibliography 2020 2019 2018 2016 2015
Lives and works in Lisbon
2013
MA, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
BA, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã
Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon
2021
Best In Show, Steve Turner, Los Angeles
If dogs don’t go to heaven, I want to go where they go, L21 Gallery, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Exciting love, Ruttkowski68, Paris
It was a very good day, Eduardo Secci Contemporary, Florence
Every little helps, Annarumma Gallery, Naples, Italy
Employee of the month, Ruttkowski68, Cologne, Germany
Being there done that, Ultrastudio, Pescara, Italy
When quality is cheaper, Galeria Alegria, Madrid
2020
Art Busan (with Galeria Duarte Sequeira), South Korea
Tea Time, Part 2 Gallery, Oakland
I hold the wheel to let it go, Galerie Clemens Gunzer, Kitzbühel, Austria
Mixed Pickles 7: The Ghost Edition, Ruttkowski68, Cologne
Deflatable aesthetic, Hawaii-Lisbon at Balcony Contemporary Art Gallery, Lisbon
Unlearn, relearn… repeat, TWFineart, Brisbane, Australia
B.T.S (Back to school), Travessa da Ermida, Lisbon
Mixed pickles 4, Michael Horbach Foundation, Cologne
Grand opening, Ruttkowski68, Paris
Arte de furtar, Pavilhão 31, Hospital Júlio de Matos, Lisbon
Lichtstraße, Ruttkowski68, Cologne
Bech Risvig collection, Vestjyllands Kunstpavillion, Videbæk, Denmark
Selected works from The Bech Risvig collection, Huset for Kunst og Design, Holstebro, Denmark
Out of office, Hawaii-Lisbon, Lisbon
Né un 2 juillet, Galerie Derouillon, Paris
Quanto tempo falta?, Câmara Municipal do Porto, Oporto, Portugal
Aujourd’hui je dis oui, Galeria Boavista, Lisbon
1/81, Museu do Côa, Vila Nova de Foz Coa, Portugal
2021
“Ricardo Passaporte,” Studio Talks, January 16
Sommer, Erik. “In the Studio: Ricardo Passaporte,” Mott Projects, March 22
Cencia, Elena. “Ricardo Passaporte,” Coeval Magazine, September 25
Snoad, Laura. “Artist Ricardo Passaporte on falling in “love at first sight” with Lidl,” It’s Nice That, June 26
Mothes, Kate. “Ricardo Passaporte,” Young Space, July 12
Patrício, Nuno. “Interview with Ricardo Passaporte,” O Fluxo, February
