Umpi, Dani

He resides in Montevideo and Buenos Aires. Among his works are large collage pieces with paper, constantly referencing artists of Brazilian Neoconcretism and Pop Art. With cumulative exuberance and chromatic lust, he makes unexpected esoteric and melodramatic gestures, speculating between the transcendent and the banal. He published the novels Aún soltera; Miss Tacuarembó (adapted into a film by Martín Sastre in 2010); Sólo te quiero como amigo and Un poquito tarada; the short story collections Niño rico con problemas and ¿A quién quiero engañar?; the poetry book La vueltita ridícula; and the children's book El vestido de mamá (with illustrator Rodrigo Moraes). He released the albums Perfecto; Dramática (with guitarist Adrián Soiza); Mormazo; and Dani Umpi Piano. Vol I – Vol II (with pianist Álvaro Sánchez). He collaborated with Sofía Oportot and Ignacio Redard on the musical project Oportot Umpi Redard, releasing the album Hijo único. He wrote and composed the musical comedy Nena, no robarás with musician Javier Vaz Martins, directed by Maruja Bustamante in Buenos Aires in 2009. In 2012, he wrote and directed the performance piece Marta, la musical at TAE – Teatro Argentino de La Plata. In 2013, he acted in and wrote the performance A rainha da beleza under the direction and co-authorship of Gustavo Bitencourt for the Todos os géneros cycle at Fundación Itaú, São Paulo. In 2014, he began creating the Parangolés rígidos series based on concepts by Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica. The first presentation of this installation-performance-musical was held at Casa de la Cultura Mario Quintana, Porto Alegre, Brazil (2014). The second presentation was at MALBA – Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires, at the closing of Mario Testino's exhibition In Your Face (2014). His notable solo exhibitions include: Maldito Duende, HACHE Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2017); Parangolés rígidos, Galería Xippas, Paris (2014); Informática, Galería Xippas, Montevideo, Uruguay (2013); La evolución del ser, Galería Soa, Montevideo, Uruguay (2011); Eterna, Galería Daniel Abate, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2011); Todo incluido, Galería Jacob Karpio, San José, Costa Rica (2010); Nem Luxo, Nem Lixo, Galería OZ, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2010); Superbacana, MEC, Plataforma, Montevideo, Uruguay (2009). He participated in the São Paulo Biennial in 2010 and the 1st Montevideo Biennial in 2012. In 2012, the Guadalajara International Book Fair selected him as one of the "25 literary secrets of Latin America.