COMMISSIONS

A BRIEF SELECTION

2020

Currently Charif is working in a script for a feature film, commissioned by the legendary Swiss artist, entrepreneur and musician Dieter Meier.

Cover of draft script, with an engraving by Rembrandt representing a Conus marmoreus

2018

Worldwide premiere of Ophelia Moment -demo version-, official music video for Chris Connelly (official site here).

May 2013

Through Mr. Rashid Mairza Al Mulla, Head of Foreign Affairs of the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Malaysia, the Embassy requests to Gustavo Charif to create an artwork that portrays his personal vision of Qatar for a special event: the international Peace & Security Forum, celebrated on May 16^thin the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Qatar Dream (2013) · 122 x 183 cm · oil and mixed media on canvas

Detail of Qatar Dream (2013) · photo by Li Xin-Xian

The unique and big scale artwork was used to enhance the positive atmosphere at the event and create a topic discussion between the prestigious guests (amongst which was His Excellency Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, and the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, his Excellency Tun Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi). The artwork made a strong impact and was admired by the many guests. Charif, who was present at the event, answered numerous questions and talked about his art.

Former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi, former Qatar’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, former Qatar’s Minister of Finance and former Charif’s girlfriend, Li Xin-Xian, amongst other distinguish visitors

February 2013

Racing driver and entrepreneur Pye Sen Tan commissions to Gustavo Charif a big canvas portraying the Ferrari of the businessman.

The Ferrari canvas (200 x 100 cm) – oil, car paint and paper on canvas

September 2012

Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur commissions to Gustavo Charif the portrait of the new Lamborghini Aventador. Customers and audience are invited to the Lamborghini show room to witness the artist painting the canvas.

This project was conceived to contribute to the growth of an uncompromising art scene in Malaysia but, at the same time, contribute to the knowledge of Latin American Art and build new links between Asia and America.

The painting was auctioned by the main art auctioneer in Malaysia (Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers), with the purpose of to raise funds for the next stage of the project: to create a specialized library of Latin American arts at the Balai Seni Visual Negara (National Art Gallery of Kuala Lumpur).

The painting was exhibited in White Box until October 27. The auction, where the painting was successful sold, took place in October 28.

Please, click on thumbnails to enlarge

Firth day. Ready to start. [Photo by Alexander Krasnikov.]

Testing on canvas the exclusive Lamborghini’s car painting.

First study made on the small canvas (35,5 x 45,7 cm), mostly to test the car painting, and a detail of the same canvas.

First day on the big canvas. Drawing the car.

First day on the big canvas. Drawing is done.

First day on the big canvas. Starting to paint.

First day on the big canvas. [Photo: Dion Isham.]

First day on the big canvas.

First day on the big canvas, with the mecanics team. [Photo by Alexander Krasnikov.]

Break. [Photo: Khoo Hsien Yew.]

On work. [Photo: Khoo Hsien Yew.]

Painting even on holiday at home.

Fifth day.

With Liberty, ending the fifth day with the canvas almost done. [Photo: Alexander Krasnikov.]

Fifth day with the canvas almost finished. In the picture with Dion Isham. [Photo: Alexander Krasnikov.]

Sixth day. Giving the series of glazes to add lights and shadows.

Sixth day. Last touch.

She says the canvas is ready.

“Lamborghini Odyssey” (2012) · mixed media and car paint on canvas · 100 x 200 cm

Last day in Lamborghini showroom.

Detail 1.

Details 2 and 3.

Details 4 and 5.

Detail 6.

Detail 7.

Detail 8.

Detail 9.

Detail 10.

Details 11 and 12.

Details 13 and 14.

Detail 15.

Detail 16.

Detail 17.

Detail 18.

Detail 19.

Detail 20.

Detail 21.

Detail 22.

“Lamborghini Odyssey” (2012). [Photo: Dion Isham.]

Detail 23. Signature.

Charif with Dato’ Mukhriz bin Tun Dr. Mahathir, Lim Eng Chong (Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers), Vincent Sim (Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers) and Markus Chye (Lamborghini KL), during the first presentation at White Box.

Gustavo Charif with the “Lamborghini Odyssey” in the cover of the Malaysian Reserve (International Herald Tribune, global edition of The New York Times).

Dato’ Mukhriz bin Tun Dr. Mahathir sharing views with Gustavo Charif. [Photo: Malaysian Reserve (International Herald Tribune, NYT)].

Charif with the Lamborghini’s mechanics team, after the press lunch presentation at White Box.

Dinner with Lamborghini customers, and Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers team.

Giving autographs. Dinner with Lamborghini customers, and Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers team. [Photo by Dion Isham.]

Great speech! Dinner with Lamborghini customers, and Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers team. [Photo by Dion Isham.]

With Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur Chairman Mr. Isham Ariff. (Dinner with Lamborghini customers, and Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers team.) [Photo by Dion Isham.]

With Lamborghini’s customers. [Photo by Dion Isham.]

Gustavo Charif during the auction exhibition in White Box (Publika).

Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers’s catalogue (October 2012).

Double page in the Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers’s catalogue (October 2012).

“Lamborghini Odyssey” in the auction. Sold.

August 2012

KLM / Air France (who was one of the sponsors for Charif’s solo exhibition in Art Expo Malaysia) commissions him a series of prints about ancient gods Fu, Lu and Shou (福祿壽). Such 88 copies were gifted by the company to their major clients in Asia.

Please, click on thumbnails to enlarge

“Fù Lú Shòu Creating New Ways to Fly” (2013)

Detail of “Fù Lú Shòu Creating New Ways to Fly” (2013)

2009/2010

GP Media (Argentine company associated with the BBC Worldwide) commission to Gustavo Charif a series of short videos for the successful talk-show Un Mundo Perfecto (A Perfect World, hosted by Roberto Pettinato).

Comando DyL flag designed by Gustavo Charif in 2009

In collaboration with producer Gastón Portal, Charif creates a fictional activist group called Comando DyL (a “Command for the Destruction and posterior Liberation of the TV”). This “command”, a kind of parody of left clandestine group, produces a series of “terrorist messages” for “destroy the television”. Those videos (directed by Gustavo Charif under the pseudonym of Mao Chow Fan) appear in a random way during the talk-show, interrupting with satiric reports about media.

2005

Gustavo Charif is invited by Fundación Torres Agüero-Rozanès (together with some of most important artists from Argentina, like Rogelio Polesello and Marta Minujín) to take part of the exhibition Caballos en Libertad (Horses in Freedom), Charif presents the intervention of a sculpture in real-size.

In Spanish the word “caballo” means “male horse”, but the female horse is called “yegua”. Charif changed the topic of the exhibition and titled his work Yegua en libertad (which means “female horse in freedom”). That was the only female horse between in the exhibition.

The work was finally auctioned in aid of the Argentine Association of Activities Equestrians for Handicapped, and for the financing of scholarships in France for young artists given by the Foundation.

Materials: polyester resin, metal, leather, acrylic painting, oil painting and varnish.

Please, click on thumbnails to enlarge

Work in progress (1). Photo in Charif’s study.

Work in progress (2). Photo in Charif’s study.

Work in progress (4). Photo in Charif’s study.

Work in progress (5). Photo in Charif’s study.

Work in progress (6). Photo in Charif’s study.

She is she. Work in progress (3). Photo in Charif’s study.

Leather boots are done. Photo in Charif’s study.

Almost finished. Photo in Charif’s study.

Last day. Photo in Charif’s study.

Signed. She wanted go out. Photo in Charif’s study.

“Yegua en libertad” (2005, polyester resin, metal, leather, acrylic painting, oil painting and varnish). Photo from the catalogue-exhibition.

2004

Charif becomes part of the Paletas Argentinas collection, which includes the most celebrated Argentinean masters (Antonio Berni, Raúl Soldi and Quinquela Martín, among others). He is the youngest on in this prestigious collection who commissioned him an artwork painted on one of his palettes.

2001

Gustavo Charif receive, from the eccentric and remembered film director Jorge Polaco (1945-2014), the commission to create the poster for the feature film Viaje por el cuerpo (Journey Through the Body), Charif makes it in the style of his alter ago Victorio Lenz.