I met Elaine Ruas in 2007 through Ana Cristina Costa e Silva (with whom I had collaborated in 2004 on the production of Oscar Niemeyer's film interview for my film project “Brasilia. Travel to Dawn").

At my request, Ana Cristina had inquired at journalist Fernando Lemos' about personalities from the Brazilian artistic milieu who had a capacity to organize exhibitions in Brasilia.
Fernando immediately thought of Elaine Ruas, professor of visual arts, graduate scholar at the University of Brasilia and, at the time, an organiser of cultural events with her Ruas Mercado Cultural company.
Whenever contact was made, Elaine and I began a correspondence by email. Before anything else (knowing that the list here is long), I owe her to have given me the opportunity to improve my Portuguese in writing - if not in speaking. Our numerous exchanges made me progress in the practice of this language (with my friend Juliette Vincent’s indispensable help). And this given the stakes, in the most exciting context ever : namely the prospect of an exhibition in Brasilia.
Being the professional that she is, Elaine of course asked to see my painting first, so I sent her the Three Traces of Oscar catalogue, along with reproductions of the work inspired by Brasilia. I then waited for the verdict.

I will never forget Elaine's humour and frankness when she contacted me again. As a preamble, she assured me of her interest in my work. But she also mentioned to me that before making any decision in such a context, she always consulted a few handpicked people belonging to the Brasilia’s artistic and cultural world, whose tastes she knew – as a test value. Submitted to my work all of these people had advised she should not take care of promoting it. Elaine then told me with her own sense of humour that this unequivocal unanimity has definitely confirmed her primary gut feeling : yes, definitely, she would exhibit my work in Brasilia.