
AVAF's work is held in the permanent collections of Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museum of Modern Art, São Paulo; Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome and Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami.
Image: Eli Sudbrack portrait

Image: AVAF, Ancient visions always freeze, 2013 (in-situ)
For HENZEL STUDIO, Assume vivid astro focus designed artwork in parallel with their 2013 exhibition Alisabel viril apagão fenomenal at Casa Triângulo in São Paulo, a visual commentary on the reckless real estate development taking place in the city. The rug is free-form, with variable pile heights per color block. Assume Vivid Astro Focus, known by the acronym AVAF, is an artist collective founded by Eli Sudbrack in 2002. Since 2005, he has been working with Christophe Hamaide-Pierson as a duo that often morphs into a collective depending on the different projects they are involved in, producing art in a wealth of media, including sculpture, video, performance, installations, paintings, neons and wallpaper. Personal expression and a lust for life are prominently emphasized in projects that are simultaneously rooted in politics of free speech, civil rights, classifications of class, gender and national identity. Infused by pop culture and political references, avaf is influenced by multiple sources and visual traits from art, culture, politics, sociology, fashion and music, creating stunning and visually explosive mash-ups of transformed and re-contextualized references. avaf operates with a hedonistic spirit, and engages in frequent collaborations with musicians, designers, dancers and other artists, challenging conventional assumptions about authorship and the role of the artist’s persona in society and the contemporary art world with their core beliefs as foundation: “share, generosity, contaminate, be contaminated, devour, be devoured, travel and spread”.

AVAF, Butt pillow, 2014, Edition of 999, Art pillow, 20 x 20 ins / 50.8 x 50.8 cm