This intervention is a continuation of Pedrita Studio’s “Looking for Rita” project, which began in 2021 with an exhibition by the same name at the Underdogs Capsule, presenting a series of watercolour studies for tile-panels, with the compositions comprising portraits of iconic Old Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth. These studies were recently materialized in a Dream Edition called “Rita Hayworth”, and the Public Installation that can now be seen at the emblematic Palácio Baldaya in Lisbon is one of the Artist’s Proofs of this edition.

The progression of this project from an exhibition of unique pieces, to artist edition and now into a public art installation underlines the various areas of action of the Underdogs cultural platform, as well as its mission of democratizing art and straightening its relationship with both the public and the city.

The premise of “Looking for Rita'' explores the manipulation of appearances through the figure of Rita Hayworth. It mirrors the transformation of the actress from a brunette dancer playing roles as a Latina into an incandescent American muse, establishing a direct parallel with Pedrita Studio’s most used medium: tiles, which in turn are a product adapted to industry in order to please a common taste, idealized for mass consumption.
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photo credits: Shotbygregz