Rodrigo Cass, Brazilian Artist of Minimal Concrete Works, Dies at 43

Rodrigo Cass, a Brazilian artist known for his minimal monochrome works created by pouring liquid concrete onto canvas, tragically passed away while swimming at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Born in 1983, Cass found his primary inspiration in classical Catholic iconography, influenced by his personal beliefs and initial training as a seminarian, while also drawing from Brazilian Neo-Concretism. His artistic technique involved etching flowing, gestural lines or partial geometric patterns into the concrete. A member of the Carmelite Order from 2000 to 2008, he graduated from Faculdade Santa Marcelina in São Paulo in 2006 and pursued Philosophy and Theology at the Jesuit Faculty in Belo Horizonte from 2007 to 2008. His works were showcased at various prestigious venues, including Centro Cultural São Paulo and Galerie MDM in Paris. ArtReview reported his passing.