Mini-Minimalism: The History Of RaritieS Collection

By Marcos Ezequiel

Today, I’ll tell you how the RaritieS Collection came to be. This work originated from the conceptual exploration of spaces within the works created for the Shariff Collection; in fact, if you look at the print below, you'll understand that there's a previous history.

Before (Image 1)

The name of each project before they were integrated into the RaritieS Collection.

After (Image 2)

Although the modification date for the PSD file of the old Mini Cross (now MiniM) reads "May 29, 2024" in Image 1,

it was actually conceived on the same day as Mini France,

as shown in Image 2...

The RaritieS Collection is a true blend of influences from the Shariff Collection with minimalist references, for example, from Sol LeWitt in the choice of colors (especially green, red, yellow, and blue), and from my mother in issues that are so impactful for contemporary society. Let's see:

1 - RaritieS - Mini France (5x5)

Date: May 28, 2024

France is one of the most renowned epicenters of art history, with Paris standing as the art capital. Even without ever having visited the country, I feel a personal connection to it through experiences like visiting the Quinta da Boa Vista—with its neoclassical palace strongly influenced by French style—and admiring the "Châteaux" found in high-end Brazilian residences. Furthermore, the song "Voyage Voyage" has resonated in Brazil from the 80s to the present day; the singer's powerful vocals, unmistakable rhythms, and harmonious lyrics make me dream of better days. I named this art "Mini France" and incorporated the country's colors to reflect the heritage I have embraced in my own life. It served as the first proof that it is possible to distill and present a blend of sentimental, real-world, and virtual memories within a small (5x5) grid; all it takes is the creativity to translate your recollections into a space that feels just right.

Figure 1: RaritieS - Mini France, 5x5 px native grid, digital asset.

(Enlarged preview for pixel grid integrity).

2 - RaritieS - MiniM (3x3) Date: May 28, 2024

If Mini France represents aesthetic memory, MiniM represents a climate warning. Inspired by my frequent visits to Pedra Branca State Park, MiniM—symbolized by a green cross within a 3x3 grid—stands as an act of steadfast resistance, given how shifting urban dynamics have summarily stripped away the small "lungs" (trees) that sustain our planet.

Among the reasons my mother (Sandra Nascimento) took me to this park—and others like it—were the climate-related insights I’ve described here, as well as the recognition that humans need physical activity amidst nature, away from the concrete and asphalt that suffocate the daily lives of ordinary citizens.

Due to the lessons my mother taught me, I can say that she was responsible for bringing this theme to the RaritieS Collection, making her a Co-Creator of this very important collection.

Figure 2: RaritieS - MiniM, 3x3 px native grid, digital asset.

(Enlarged preview for pixel grid integrity).

3 - RaritieS - Mini Five (6x6) Date: July 10, 2025

In the previous topic, I showed that the MiniM art represents nature’s "free lung" and its ecological resilience; however, the approach I present to you in Mini Five is different. This artwork, which I created in the shape of an X, depicts the chaos of the modern urban landscape. The green of the MiniM finds itself trapped by traffic signals—alongside red and yellow—becoming a neighbor to the reddish hues of urban violence, the black petroleum-based asphalt, and the blue glass that characterizes today's architecture.

Figure 3: RaritieS - Mini Five, 6x6 px native grid, digital asset.

(Enlarged preview for pixel grid integrity).

4 - RaritieS - Mini BRYG (2x2) Date: December 4, 2025

For this artwork, I chose four colors—blue, red, yellow, and green—drawing inspiration from the way Sol LeWitt treated them: as the artwork itself. I personally view these four colors as a 'lifestyle'; the inner voice guiding me said, "arrange the colors in a way that makes them irresistible." After all, my own philosophy is that "color is psychology, color is fashion, color is politics." I believe this resonates with the Bauhaus and De Stijl movements, as well as the work of Donald Judd and—above all—Sol LeWitt.

Figure 4: RaritieS - Mini BRYG, 2x2 px native grid, digital asset.

(Enlarged preview for pixel grid integrity).

5 - RaritieS - Mini Movement (Founder Edition) (1x1) Date: December 4, 2025

This artwork represents the pinnacle of the creativity and ecological resilience that permeate the RaritieS Collection via MiniM. By introducing the color green to the single polygon (1x1)—born of my mother’s intellectual insights and the aforementioned artistic craftsmanship—I illustrate that the Mini Movement (Founder Edition) serves as the ultimate synthesis of the Movement’s entire organization; it firmly reinforces that every work described here embodies the "conceptual rigor in art" outlined in Pillar 5 of the Manifesto.

Figure 5: RaritieS - Mini Movement (Founder Edition), 1x1 px native grid, digital asset.

(Enlarged preview for pixel grid integrity).