Ca’ del Duca 3052, Corte del Duca Sforza
San Marco, 30124, Venezia, Italy
Tue – Sat 10am – 6pm
Filipe Branquinho Mozambique, b. 1977
XILUVA I, 2025
Watercolors, China Ink, Acrylics, Posca and Fineliner Pen on Arches Aquarelle cotton paper 300 gr
57 x 57 cm
The series XILUVA consists of 16 works and builds on Branquinho’s previous project, Muthiana - meaning 'woman' in Emakhuwa, the most spoken Bantu language in Mozambique. XILUVA, meaning 'flower,' honors...
The series XILUVA consists of 16 works and builds on Branquinho’s previous project, Muthiana - meaning "woman" in Emakhuwa, the most spoken Bantu language in Mozambique. XILUVA, meaning "flower," honors the beauty and strength of natural hair, a key element of Mozambican identity.
Visually, it draws from Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe, reinterpreted in Branquinho’s style. The portraits feature faces inspired by Makonde masks and intricate hairstyles, referencing antique combs the artist studied at MUSEC in Lugano.
With XILUVA, Branquinho reflects on femininity, identity, and heritage, bridging tradition and contemporary visual language.
1
of
37