Alex Hornest
Alex Hornest (aka Onesto) was born in São Paulo, in 1972. He graduated from Carlos de Campos, along with Os Gêmeos, Nina, Amigo, Iama and others from this talented generation of artists that have been painting the streets of São Paulo since the early 90’s.
Onesto has a striking history in Brazilian graffiti. He has 72 different signatures, one for each working concept, which he identifies as “72 d.i.e.s.e.l.” The oldest signature, Onesto, is recognized primarily for portraits of fantastic black and white characters; Emprolde is identified by colorful abstract designs, Nailon’s work are colored throw-ups; Stok creates "pichação" in dangerous and forbidden places of the city. Offend, and Skulptor are artistic styles he is currently painting under. Hornest blends these different visual codes and intertwines their styles to create stunning imagery. Despite this array of characters, the style of Onesto synthesizes most of Hornest’s aesthetic and ethic ideals. Because of this, he uses Onesto to sign his gallery and collectable work.
Artists that have inspired his work and play a role in his creative influence include Marcelo Grassmann, Maria Bonomi, Alberto Giacometti, Victor Brecheret, Alexander Calder, Zdzislaw Beksinski, and Francis Bacon.
In addition to his artwork, Onesto produces videos documenting “pichação" (Invasion, Sujo), fanzines (72 d.i.e.s.e.l) and books. A natural-born political activist, Ornesto is concerned with hardships in countries affected by poverty and social injustice. His prolific work in various mediums is an expression of these views.
Since 1994, Onesto has participated in many collective exhibitions, but it was not until 2006 – after his first solo exhibition in the Holland Consulate in Bahia, Brazil – that he believed that his work was ready to be presented to the world. This discovery has enabled Onesto to bring the first results of a long study and years of fantastic experiences to the Ruas de São Paulo exhibition. Ornesto’s work can be seen in the outskirts of the São Paulo, where he currently lives.
Past Exhibitions
