Gabi Magnani and Lesse Pierre open a free exhibition in Florianópolis exploring the charged relationship between life model and artist. Opens April 8.
Six minutes and nine seconds. That is the average time devoted to each drawing in a live model session — a deceptively simple fact that artists Gabi Magnani and Lesse Pierre have turned into the beating heart of their new exhibition.
Where the gaze becomes a drawing
“369 Seconds” opens on Wednesday, April 8, at 7 PM, at Galeria Lama in downtown Florianópolis, Brazil. The show marks the first time both artists have presented joint work on this subject. It brings together A3-format drawings, a large mural on the main stage, and installations combining text, video, and photography.
In the sessions led by Lesse, the model stands at the center of the room in an arena format. Each artist draws from their own vantage point — registering not just what they see, but what they project onto the scene. As Gabi explains, the model chooses a posture, an expression, and an intention, then holds still. “It’s 360 seconds per round and, of course, those extra 9 seconds for one last touch or glance,” she says.
It is in the gesture of drawing that we meet, and the result of that encounter is printed there: it is not her, nor me — it is both of us. Without a model, there is no drawing; without the intention to draw, there is no drawing either.
Themes on display
Curated by the artists themselves, the exhibition explores the relativity of time, the release of perfectionism within a 6-minute round, trust in one’s own line, and the depth of the model-artist relationship. Three open live model sessions and one guided visit with debate will take place during the exhibition run. Full schedule at @galeria.lama on Instagram.
About the artists
Lesse Pierre is a visual artist and educator whose practice spans authorial creation, teaching, and illustration. He has taught at institutions including the Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo, the Federal University of Santa Catarina, and the Federal Institute of Santa Catarina, and has collaborated with artists, agencies, and brands. His work investigates the creative process and the act of looking as an expressive practice.
Gabi Magnani is an actress whose career weaves together film, theater, and advertising. She dedicated 12 years to dance, an experience that shaped her bodily awareness and made the body her primary storytelling tool. Since 2015 she has focused on acting. A career highlight was her lead role in the award-winning short film “A Fita Vermelha” (The Red Ribbon), screened at the Cannes Film Festival (Short Film Corner, 2022).
Event Info
- Exhibition: 369 Seconds
- Artists: Gabi Magnani and Lesse Pierre
- Opening: Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 7 PM
- Dates: through May 9, 2026, Wednesday to Saturday, 6 PM – midnight
- Venue: Galeria Lama — Rua João Pinto, 198 / Rua Antônio (Nico) Luz, 159, Centro, Florianópolis, Brazil
- Admission: free
- Additional programming: three open live model sessions and one guided tour with debate (dates at @galeria.lama)
