Who is Bernard Rangel?
After reaching 49, having lived 21 years in Brazil, and after 33 years of painting professionally Bernard fully understands why he had consciously chose to map his present passage through time and express himself by painting on multiple surfaces and in multiple mediums from a very early age incorporating his origins that are a myriad of cultures, aromas, different shapes and colours all blended together through time giving an exotic presence that is relentless, leaving his mark for others to reflect upon.
As a result of all this today his work is well disciplined as it materializes the images that lie in his subconscious and imaginative mind. Off course he looks to other artists like, Max Ernst, Goya, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Jackson Pollock, Michelangelo and many others that have already left their legacy for mankind to reflect upon. Bernard is clearly aware of that fact that without painting he would be a hollow shell with a dormant spirit and only a lifeless day to look forward to on each awakening. He continues now with his endeavour to paint, sell his paintings, exchange thoughts with other people and make lots of friends and share his stories with other people.
Bernard Cajetan Rangel was born in Aden, the South Yemen in 1957 of Indian parents from Goa, and first travelled by ship at the age of three to England. This was his initiation of the many future trips that he would undertake travelling the world. At six his parents enrolled him in an Indian boarding school, Mount Abu, in Rajasthan, northern India, where he stayed until he was eight.
In Ireland at nine he entered another boarding school, Blackrock College, and there he stayed until he went on to study Economics, History and Psychology at Trinity College Dublin.
His interest in painting truly started when he carried out a class project on the life of Michelangelo and ever since drawing and painting have become his personal pastime and pleasure. When he was in Hong Kong, he studied Chinese painting and this disciplined his brushwork technique, this is also where he got his first commission at fifteen for a freehand drawing in Indian ink of St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
At sixteen when experimenting with the different mediums, oil paint, acrylic, watercolours, and Indian ink he discovered his natural “drawing signature”. His first creative and artistic period was developed at this time by pouring Indian ink on paper, rotating the paper as the ink was being absorbed, and then he used a blowing technique to dry off the remaining ink and whilst drying he would highlight the images with a touch of red paint.
This particular period lasted several years until 1989, but he implemented several changes over this period by introducing more colours. The paintings from this period from 1976 to 1989 are signed “Cajetaino” and were sold in Hong Kong, Spain, London, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Brazil, in 1990 he returned to signing his name.
Throughout his youth Bernard has always been actively involved in cultural activities. In his teens he wrote and still writes poetry. In Ireland from 1977 to 1980 he was a member in a reggae group, Zebra and not only was his art work used on the record covers and labels his illustrations were also used in an underground magazine, named Alice that circulated in Dublin at the time.
He went to Brazil in 1985 and during the late 80’s he dedicated his time to looking after his terminally ill father. It was in this period that he underwent a renaissance in his painting, and in 1990 he returned to signing his works Bernard Rangel.
Over the years his work has become increasingly more dynamic and evermore varied. People have frequently asked him the classification of his style, as it is indeed different from what is seen today in the contemporary world. He turns to each and says, “Tribal Contemporary”. Another question frequently posed because of his already rather large body of work is, ‘how long does it take to finish one painting’? His reply is 49 years plus 2 hours. He has developed a technique of painting more than ten works simultaneously; luckily he has the drying space.
In São Paulo, he has worked with several decorators and architects and he was contracted to launch “Duncan” ceramic paints, he became a member of the Brazilian Association of Art, History & Culture through which he exhibited his works in Sao Paulo, Rome, and Hannover. Today his work is part of the Santander Bank art collection and presently he is executing a special project through workshops with prep-school children in the outskirts of São Paulo, showing them that art is no mystery, through the project “Valorising the Artist Whilst Still Alive”.
In 2003 he donated two paintings to the Richard House Children’s Hospice and one to the London Cancer Society.
In 2005 after presenting a paper in New York City in November at the 2nd World Congress of the OPGC (Organization for the Promotion of Global Civilization), entitled: “Educating about the Spirituality of Religions” he was invited to sit on the Board of the International NGO. Consequently, due to this involvement he has already been to Beijing in 2006 for the 1st Board Meeting where he received his certification and responsibilities to prepare the next world congress of the OPGC that shall take place in Jerusalem, Israel in 2009.
Through his tireless persistence in selling his works today he is establishing his name in Miami Florida, London, Beijing and Vienna, and in November 2007 he is scheduled to have an exhibition in India/Mumbai and New Delhi. He is presently exhibiting his first exhibition in London that shall last until May 6th and he hopes that the Londoners enjoy his bright colours and compositions. For 2008 he has already programmed appearances in Germany, namely Frankfurt.
There was an unexpected result that came about after the opening of Bernard’s first exhibition in London. He gained the patronage of Mr. Rasik Patel, the Executive Chairman of Afro-Asian Insurance Services Limited, a well known international insurance and reinsurance brokers firm. Mr. Patel was very pleased to invite Bernard into his group’s network of friends, colleagues and associates.
(heading with photo of duck) From May 10 to June 04 2007 he had a very large poster of one of his new paintings on the London Underground for the commuters and tourists to enjoy.
(heading with photo of painting) His paintings today are to be found in more countries like, Italy, Hungry, Austria, Turkey, Ireland, Brazil, Switzerland, the United States, England and Japan.