Geraldo Dos Santos is a contemporary artist whose artwork revolves around the multifaceted use of candles as a "ritual artifact" in various cultural practices and their symbolic significance in contemporary society. In his artistic exploration, Dos Santos delves into the use of candles in four different contemporary frameworks: reflecting, extension, popular mourning, and memorials. By doing so, he highlights the importance of aestheticization processes and the centrality of this expression in evoking symbolic heritage.
According to the artist, the ubiquity and repetition with which candles are lit in cultural practices reveal their metaphorical significance. He posits that the use of candles in various cultural practices provides a means to express devotion, sensuality, and esoteric rites. Dos Santos emphasizes that the use of candles in these contexts is not only functional but also creative, holding a deeper meaning.
The artist's work emphasizes how the use of candles in different cultural practices can evoke human emotions and regulate cultural systems in social life. He suggests that the lighting of candles can create a sense of solemnity, reverence, and memory and foster a connection to the past, present, and future.
The concepts of memory-heritage, connection, extension, confrontation, desire, and semiosis, are vital components in understanding and interacting with the world. Dos Santos acknowledges the impact these concepts have on shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. He posits that they have a profound impact on our individual and collective well-being, and as such, his artistic practice seeks to explore and highlight the significance of these concepts in the use of candles in various cultural practices.