Exhibition | Gustavo Nazareno “How to Grow a Flower from a Supernova”

24 June – 17 July, 2026

Opera Gallery in Paris is pleased to present ‘How to Grow a Flower from a Supernova‘, a solo exhibition of new paintings and charcoal drawings by Brazilian artist Gustavo Nazareno.

Gustavo Nazareno, Rigel, from the series Passage, 2025, Charcoal on paper, 15 3/4 x 11 3/4 in | 40 x 30 cm.
Photo © Gustavo Nazareno, Courtesy of GUSN Studio.

On view from 24 June to 17 July 2026, the exhibition introduces a new body of work in which spiritual heritage, couture and celestial references intersect.

Gustavo Nazareno, Vega, from the series Passage, 2025, Charcoal on paper, 15 3/4 x 11 3/4 in, 40 x 30 cm.
Photo © Gustavo Nazareno, Courtesy of GUSN Studio.

Nazareno’s practice brings together diverse inspirations: the cosmology and rituals of Afro-Latin religions, the formal clarity of Irving Penn’s fashion photography, the theatrical structure of clothings created by fashion designers like Alexander McQueen or John Galliano, and the opulence and richness of Renaissance and Baroque art. Across painting and charcoal, he combines devotional imagery with the discipline and construction of couture.

Gustavo Nazareno, Capella, from the series Passage, 2025, Charcoal on paper, 15 3/4 x 11 3/4 in | 40 x 30 cm.
Photo © Gustavo Nazareno, Courtesy of GUSN Studio.

Referencing fables inspired by the pantheon of Orixás-a system of deities venerated in parts of Africa and Latin America-the series functions as an offering to Pombagira, a feminine entity within Candomblé, a religion Nazareno practices. Associated with beauty, seduction, autonomy and power, Pombagira serves as both subject and framework. “Pombagira moves between worlds with confidence and commands attention through presence and aesthetics,” Nazareno notes. “She understands the body as language and adornment as power. In my work, she represents a fusion of spirituality, performance and beauty.”

Gustavo Nazareno, Betelgeuse, from the series Passage, 2025, Charcoal on paper, 15 3/4 x 11 3/4 in | 40 x 30 cm.
Photo © Gustavo Nazareno, Courtesy of GUSN Studio.

“Presented during Couture Week in Paris (7-10 July 2026), ‘How to Grow a Flower from a Supernova’ positions fashion as a symbolic and structural language. Here, Nazareno extends the visual vocabulary he developed through Renaissance painting and fashion imagery into a broader cosmological framework. Furthermore, he examines clothing as narrative-how garments shape identity, and how dress communicates without words,” says Marion Petitdidier, Director of Opera Gallery Paris.

Gustavo Nazareno, Rafflesia, from the series Passage, 2025, Charcoal on paper, 11 3/4 x 15 3/4 in | 30 x 40 cm.
Photo © Gustavo Nazareno, Courtesy of GUSN Studio.

The series also reflects the artist’s evolving exploration of astrophysics, marked by a distinct shift in lighting, atmosphere, composition, and background. In this new body of work, Nazareno situates his figures against the backdrop of an imagined planet of his own creation-complete with its own weather, light, shadows, and inhabitants-using this environment to introduce a new silhouette for his painted forms that incorporates a range of earthly elements.

Gustavo Nazareno in his São Paulo, Brazil studio.
Photo © Gustavo Nazareno, Courtesy of GUSN Studio.

Gustavo Nazareno in his São Paulo, Brazil studio.
Photo © Gustavo Nazareno, Courtesy of GUSN Studio.

Gustavo Nazareno
@gustavonazarenostudio

Gustavo Nazareno was born in 1994 in Três Pontas, Brazil and currently lives and works in São Paulo, Brazil. His solo exhibitions include ‘Bará’ at Museu de Arte Moderna Aloisio Magalhães (2024), ‘Bará’ at Museu Afro Brasil Emanoel Araújo (2023), ‘Fables on Exu’ at Gallery 1957/1:54 Art Fair (2021) and group exhibitions including Gallery 1957’s ‘Collective Reflections: Contemporary African & Diasporic Expressions of A New Vanguard’ in Accra, Ghana (2020), Peréz Art Museum Miami’s ‘One Becomes Many’ (2024-25) and El Espacio 23’s ‘Mirror of the Mind: Figuration in the Jorge M. Pérez Collection. His work appears in ‘Amerafrica – Diasporic Connections in the Jorge M. Pérez Collection’, a group exhibition curated by Hélio Menezes at Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo in Seville, Spain from February 27, 2026 through January 10, 2027. He will be the subject of a forthcoming solo exhibition curated by Danny Dunson at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center in Chicago, scheduled for Spring 2026.

Opera Gallery
www.operagallery.com | @operagallery

Founded in Singapore in 1994, Opera Gallery has forged a network of galleries worldwide with locations in London, Paris, New York, Geneva, Madrid and Dubai, establishing itself as one of the leading forces within the international art market. Headed by Gilles Dyan, Chairman and Founder, Opera Gallery specialises in modern, Post-War, and contemporary art. In addition, the gallery represents international emerging artists such as Andy Denzler, Pieter Obels and Gustavo Nazareno, alongside internationally recognised names such as Ron Arad, Manolo Valdés and Anselm Reyle.

For more than 30 years, Opera Gallery’s mission has been to showcase the dynamic, innovative, and diverse expressions of modern and contemporary art through its ambitious yearly exhibition programming and collaborations with private collections and leading public institutions. Opera Gallery in Paris is led by Director Marion Petitdidier.

All images © Gustavo Nazareno, Courtesy of GUSN Studio.