Equilibrio El centro de gravedad sigue siendo el concepto básico. El problema no consiste en el equilibrio de un cuerpo en el espacio sino en el de todos los partes de un campo definido. Lo mas fácil de abordarlo es pensar en el como una igualdad de oposición. Ello implica un eje o punto central fuerzas opuestas están en equilibrio. A partir de esta concepción básica se desarrollan 3 tipos distintos de equilibrio. Equilibrio axial Significa el control de atracciones opuestas por medio de un eje explícito, vertical, horizontal o ambos. Simetría Es la forma más simple de este tipo de organización del equilibrio. Es un esquema exactamente simétrico, los elementos se repiten como imágenes reflejadas a un espejo a ambos lados del eje o de los ejes. Es el tipo mas obvio de equilibrio y en consecuencia, el más pobre en cuanto a variedad. Resulta especialmente útil en esquemas decorativos o en composiciones muy formales. Simetría aproximada Los dos lados pueden ser realmente diferentes en su forma, pero, a pesar de ello, bastante similares como para que el eje se pueda sentir positivamente. Equilibrio radial Significa el control de atracciones opuestas por la rotación alrededor de un punto central , el que puede ser un área positiva del esquema o un espacio vacío. En los ejemplos literales, dos o mas elementos idénticos giran al rededor de dicho punto. la diferencia entre un esquema radial con uno simétrico equilibrado radica en que un esquema radial debe tener movimiento giratorio mientras que el simétrico es estático. Equilibrio oculto Es el control de atracciones opuestas por medio de una igualdad sentida entre las partes del campo. No utiliza ejes explícitos ni puntos centrales sin embargo un centro de gravedad que se sienta resulta esencial. Primero la ausencia de ejes reales o centros focales acentúa la relatividad de todos os elementos en el campo. Segundo, implica elementos opuestos cuyas diferencias son más acentuadas que las similitudes. Resulta evidente que el equilibrio oculto constituye sobradamente el tipo mas importante, así como el mas difícil, ya que proporciona mas libertad pero exige mayor control. El equilibrio oculto posee una escala infinita de variedad de expresión. Se puede hacer con el todo lo que la imaginación y la sensibilidad sugieran. Ritmo simple El ritmo difiere de la repetición simple en este sentido: es una recurrencia esperada. El termino ritmo se ha tomado del arte a fin de la música. En los diseños visuales físicamente estáticos, el movimiento es subjetivo , pero no por ello menos real. Orden sucesivo de progresión y alternación Existen otras dos formas de recurrencias , en vez de repetir la misma unidad o idéntico intervalo, podemos introducir una progresión regular en uno o en ambos términos , aumentar la altura o el ancho de las unidades por medio de una cantidad proporcionada o modificar o modificar los intervalos dimensiones visuales , tales como configuración, tamaño. Ritmo oculto Aparecen aquí diferencias similares a las que existen entre el equilibrio explicito y el culto. También el ritmo puede estar oculto, por asi decirlo. Me refiero a que se repitan no solo las formas o clores obvios, sino también todo el sistema de relaciones. Ello aclara la sutil relación existente entre ritmo y razón. Nivelación y aguzamiento Armonía y estabilidad son polos de lo visualmente inesperado y de lo generador de tensiones en la composición. Estos opuestos se denominan en psicología nivelación y aguzamiento. La situación del punto al centro de un plano rectangular, es totalmente armoniosa (nivelación). La colocación del punto en una esquina provoca un aguzamiento el punto es excéntrico (aguzamiento). Pero existe un tercer estado de la composición visual que ni esta nivelado ni aguzado y en el que el ojo a de esforzarse por analizar el estado de equilibrio de los componentes. Equilibrio Su importancia primordial se basa en el funcionamiento de la percepción humana y en la intensa necesidad de equilibrio, que se manifiesta tanto en el diseño como en la reacción ante una declaración visual. Inestabilidad La inestabilidad es la ausencia de equilibrio y da lugar a formulaciones visuales muy provocadoras e inquietantes. Simetría/ asimetría El equilibrio se puede lograr en una declaración visual de dos maneras, simétrica y asimétricamente. La simetría es el equilibrio axial estamos ante formulaciones visuales totalmente resueltas en las que a cada unidad situada a untado de la línea central corresponde exactamente otra en el otro lado. Es perfectamente lógico y sencillo de diseñar pero puede resultar estático e incluso aburrido. Regularidad La regularidad en el diseño consiste en favorecer la uniformidad de elementos, el desarrollo de un orden basado en algún principio o método respecto a la cual no se permiten desviaciones. Irregularidad La irregularidad como estrategia de diseño, realiza lo inesperado y lo insólito, sin ajustarse a ningún plan descifrable. Simplicidad El orden contribuye considerablemente a la síntesis visual de la simplicidad, técnica visual que impone el carácter directo y simple de la forma elemental, libre de complicaciones o elaboraciones secundarias. Complejidad La complejidad que implica una complicación visual debido a la presencia de numerosas unidades y fuerzas elementales, que da lugar a un difícil proceso de organización del significado. Unidad La unidad es un equilibrio adecuado de los elementos diversos en una totalidad que es perceptible visualmente. La colección de numerosas unidades debe ensamblarse tan perfectamente que se perciba y considere como un objeto único. Fragmentación La fragmentación es la descomposición de los elementos y unidades de un diseño en `piezas separadas que se relacionan entre si, pero conservan su carácter individual. Economía La presencia de unidades mínimas de medios visuales es típica de la técnica de la economía, que contrasta con su opuesta de la profusión. La economía es una ordenación visual frugal y juiciosa en la utilización de elementos. Es visualmente fundamental y realza los aspectos conservadores y reticentes de lo pobre y lo puro. Profusión La profusión esta muy recargada y tienden a la presentación de adiciones discursivas, detalladas e inacabables al diseño básico que, idealmente ablandan y embellecen mediante la ornamentación. Reticencia La reticencia es una aproximación de un gran comedimiento que persigue una respuesta máxima del espectador ante elementos mínimos. La reticencia en un intento de engendrar grandes efectos es la imagen especular de su puesto visual Exageración La exageración para ser visiblemente efectiva, debe recurrir a la ampulosidad extravagante, ensanchando su expresión mucho más allá de la verdad para intensificar y amplificar.
Predictibilidad La predictibilidad, como técnica visual, sugiere un orden o un plan muy convencional. Sea a través de la experiencia de la observación o de la razón, hemos de preveer de antemano lo que será todo el mensaje visual, basándonos para ello en un mínimo de información. Espontaneidad La espontaneidad en cambio, se caracteriza por una falta aparente de plan. Es una técnica, de gran carga emotiva, impulsiva y desbordante. Actividad/pasividad La actividad como técnica visual debe reflejar el movimiento mediante la representación o la sugestión. La postura enérgica y viva de una técnica visual activa resulta profundamente modificada en la fuerza inmóvil de la técnica de representación estática que produce, mediante un equilibrio absoluto, un efecto de aquiescencia y reposo. Sutileza La sutileza, es en el mensaje visual, la técnica que utilizaríamos para establecer una distinción afinada, rehuyendo toda obviedad o energía de propósitos. Aunque la sutileza indica una aproximación visual de gran delicadeza y refinamiento, debe utilizarse muy inteligentemente para conseguir soluciones ingeniosas. Audacia La audacia es por si misma naturaleza, una técnica visual obvia, el diseñador debe usarla con atrevimiento, seguridad y confianza en si mismo, pues su propósito es conseguir una visibilidad optima. Neutralidad/acento Afirmar que un diseño puede tener un aspecto neutral. Parece casi una contradicción en sus términos, pero lo cierto es que hay ocasiones en que el marco menos provocador para una declaración visual puede ser el mas eficaz para vencer la resistencia o incluso la beligerancia del observador. La atmosfera de neutralidad es perturbada en un punto por el acento, que consiste en realzar intensamente una sola cosa contra un fondo uniforme. Trasferencia/opacidad Las técnicas opuestas de la transparencia y la opacidad se definen físicamente una a otra; la primera implícita un detalle Visal a través del cual es posible ver, de modo que lo que esta detrás es percibido por el ojo; la segunda es justamente lo contrario, el bloqueo y la ocultación de elementos visuales. Coherencia La coherencia es la técnica de expresar la compatibilidad visual desarrollado una composición dominada por una aproximación temática uniforme y consonante. Variación Permite la diversidad y la variedad. Pero la variación refleja en composición visual el uso de ese mismo fenómeno en la composición musical, en el sentido de que las mutaciones están controladas por un tema dominante. Realismo Es el realismo es la técnica natural de la cámara, la opción del artista. Nuestra experiencia visual y natural de las cosas es el modelo del realismo en las artes visuales, cuyo empleo puede recurrir a numerosos trucos y convenciones calculadas para reproducir las mismas claves visuales que el ojo transmite al cerebro Distorsión La distorsión fuerza el realismo y pretende controlar sus efectos desviándose de los contornos regulares y a veces también de la forma autentica. Es una técnica que responde a un intenso propósito y que bien manejada produce respuestas también muy intensas. Plana/profunda Estas dos técnicas visuales se rigen fundamentalmente por el uso o la ausencia de la perspectiva y se ven reforzadas por la reproducción fiel de la información ambiental, mediante la imitación de los efectos de luz y sombras propios del claroscuro, para sugerir o eliminar la apariencia natural de la dimensión.
Singularidad/yuxtaposición La singularidad consiste en centrar la composición en un tema aislado e independiente, que no cuenta con el apoyo de ningún otro estimulo visual , sea particular o general. El principal efecto de esta técnicas la trasmisión de un énfasis especifico. La yuxtaposición expresa la interacción de estímulos visuales situando al menos dos claves juntas activando la comparación relacional. Secuencialidad/aleatoriedad Una disposición en el diseño esta basada en la respuesta compositiva a un plan de presentación que se dispone en un orden lógico. La ordenación puede responder a una formula, pero por lo general entraña una serie de cosas dispuestas según un esquema rítmico. La técnica aleatoria de la impresión de una falta de plan, de una desorganización planificada o de una presentación accidental de la información visual. Agudeza/difusividad La agudeza, como técnica visual , esta intimadamente ligada a la claridad del estilo físico y a la claridad de expresión . Mediante el uso de contornos netos y de la precisión, el efecto final es nítido y fácil de interpretar. La difusividad es blanda, no aspira tanto a la precisión, pero crea mas ambiente, más sentimiento y mas color. Continuidad/episodicidad La continuidad se define por una serie de conexiones visuales interrumpidas, que resultan particularmente importantes en cualquier declaración visual unificada. En el cine, la arquitectura el grafismo, la continuidad no solo es el conjunto de pasos interrumpidos que llevan de un punto a otro , sino también la fuerza cohesiva que mantiene unida una composición de elementos diversos.
Rojo El rojo está asociado con diferentes sentimientos como coraje y valentía, y fuertemente ligado a la pasión y el amor. También está relacionado con advertencias o peligros. Reconocido como un estimulante, la cantidad de rojo está directamente relacionado con el nivel de energía percibido. Se ha comprobado que el rojo mejora el metabolismo humano, aumenta el ritmo respiratorio y eleva la presión sanguínea.
Ejemplos de utilización del ROJO -Por su capacidad de sobresalir en la gama de colores (pregnancia) el rojo es usado frecuentemente por los diseñadores para llamar la atención sobre un elemento en particular. -Por aumenta el ritmo cardíaco y crear una necesidad de urgencia a menudo es utilizado en gráfica para destacar ofertas o descuentos especiales. -Tiene una visibilidad muy alta, por lo que es muy usado en señales de advertencia, semáforos y equipo para combatir el fuego.
Azul Es uno de los colores más populares y poderosos. Es el color de la frescura, la espiritualidad, la libertad, la paciencia, la lealtad, la paz y la honradez. El azul se asocia fuertemente con la tranquilidad y la calma y puede implicar tristeza o depresión. A diferencia de colores cálidos como el rojo, el naranja y el amarillo, el azul está ligado a la conciencia y al intelecto y algunos estudios sugieren que es más aceptado entre los hombres.
Ejemplos de utilización del AZUL -Para promocionar productos y servicios relacionados con la limpieza (filtros de purificación de agua, líquidos de limpieza, etc.) -Promocionar productos o actividades relacionadas con el aire y el cielo (líneas aéreas, aeropuertos, purificadores y acondicionadores de aire, etc.) – Promocionar productos o actividades relacionadas con el agua y el mar (cruceros, agua mineral, filtros de agua, etc.) -El azul es el color favorito de muchas empresas porque sugiere responsabilidad e inspira confianza. Los azules más oscuros implican autenticidad, confianza, seguridad, fidelidad y dignidad. Los azules más pálidos pueden implicar frescura y limpieza, aunque pueden implicar debilidad. Como se ha comprobado que el azul suprime el apetito, debe evitarse su uso cuando se promocionan alimentos o recetas de cocina. Cuando se usa en conjunto con los colores cálidos como el amarillo o el rojo, el azul puede crear gran impacto, por ejemplo la combinación azul-amarillo-rojo es perfecta para un superhéroe.
Amarillo Es el color del sol y se traduce en emociones como optimismo, felicidad, brillo y alegría. Tonos de color amarillo dorado implican la promesa de un futuro promisorio. Se ha comprobado que el color amarillo provoca pensamientos creativos. Si el amarillo es usado en exceso, puede tener un efecto perturbador. Por ejemplo, es un hecho comprobado que los bebés lloran más en habitaciones pintadas de color amarillo.
Ejemplos de utilización del AMARILLO -Se lo utiliza para evocar sensaciones agradables y alegres, por lo que es común verlo en promociones de artículos o servicios relacionados con el ocio o productos para niños. El amarillo simboliza la luz del sol. Representa la alegría, la felicidad, la inteligencia y la energía. El amarillo sugiere el efecto de entrar en calor, provoca alegría, estimula la actividad mental y genera energía muscular. Con frecuencia se le asocia a la comida. El amarillo puro y brillante es un reclamo de atención, por lo que es frecuente que los taxis sean de este color en algunas ciudades. En exceso, puede tener un efecto perturbador, inquietante. Es conocido que los bebés lloran más en habitaciones amarillas.Los hombres suelen percibir al amarillo muy alegre o infantil, por lo que no se recomienda su uso para
promocionar productos caros o de prestigio para hombres de negocios. Nadie que presume de su seriedad va a comprar un traje de color amarillo o usar un reloj de ese color.
Verde El verde es el color del crecimiento, la primavera, la renovación y el renacimiento. Está asociado con la salud, la frescura, la paz y la solución de los problemas ambientales. Sugiere fertilidad, libertad, sanación y tranquilidad. También estabilidad y resistencia, aunque a veces denota falta de experiencia (al novato se lo asocia con el fruto verde, no terminado). Por ser el color del dólar americano también esta usualmente relacionado con las ganancias y el dinero.
Ejemplos de utilización del VERDE -En todo lo relacionado con la naturaleza como actividades al aire libre, servicios de jardinería, cuidado del medio ambiente y la ecología. -El verde opaco y un poco más oscuro es asociado comúnmente con el dinero, el mundo de las finanzas, la banca y Wall Street. -Productos relacionados con la salud como medicamentos o productos médicos.
Naranja El naranja es un color cálido, vibrante y extravagante. Transmite energía combinada con diversión, es el color de las personas que toman riesgos y son extrovertidas y desinhibidas. Significa aventura, optimismo, confianza en sí mismo, sociabilidad y salud. También sugiere placer, alegría, paciencia, generosidad y ambición. El color naranja hace que un producto caro parezca más accesible. El naranja impacta a una amplia gama de personas, tanto hombres como mujeres.
Es un color que encaja muy bien con la gente joven, por lo que es muy recomendable para comunicar con ellos. Color cítrico, se asocia a la alimentación sana y al estímulo del apetito. Es muy ádecuado para promocionar productos alimenticios y juguetes Es el color de la caída de la hoja y de la cosecha. En heráldica el naranja representa la fortaleza y la resistencia. El color naranja tiene una visibilidad muy alta, por lo que es muy útil para captar atención y subrayar los aspectos más destacables de una página web. El naranja combina la energía del rojo con la felicidad del amarillo. Se le asocia a la alrgría, el sol brillante y el trópico.
Blanco El color blanco implica inocencia y pureza. Implica un nuevo comienzo: El blanco representa la pizarra limpia, nos ayuda en momentos de estrés, y nos ayuda a seguir adelante y a poner el pasado atrás. Significa igualdad y unidad. Contiene todos los colores del espectro y representa lo positivo y lo negativo de cada uno de ellos.
Ejemplos de utilización del BLANCO Es el mejor color como fondo para todo tipo de textos porque facilita la lectura y nunca pasa de moda. El blanco enfoca la atención del usuario en la calidad del contenido. Aquellos sitios web que tienen un blanco predominante en sus diseños transmiten al usuario una sensación confortable y tranquila. El blanco se asocia a la luz, la bondad, la inocencia, la pureza y la virginidad. Se le considera el color de la perfección. El blanco significa seguridad, pureza y limpieza. A diferencia del negro, el blanco por lo general tiene una connotación positiva. Puede representar un inicio afortunado.
En heráldica, el blanco representa fe y pureza. En publicidad, al blanco se le asocia con la frescura y la limpieza porque es el color de nieve. En la promoción de productos de alta tecnología, el blanco puede utilizarse para comunicar simplicidad. Es un color apropiado para organizaciones caritativas. Por asociación indirecta, a los ángeles se les suele representar como imagenes vestidas con ropas blancas.
Negro Ejemplos de utilización del NEGRO El color negro está asociado con el poder, la elegancia, el secreto y el misterio. Es autoritario y puede evocar emociones fuertes, su exceso puede ser abrumador. El negro representa la falta de color, el vacío primordial. Es un color clásico para la ropa, posiblemente porque hace que el portador parecer más delgada y sofisticado. -El color negro es útil para transmitir elegancia, sofisticación, o tal vez un toque de misterio (Clubes nocturnos, limosinas, etc.) -El negro funciona bien con joyas como diamantes y brillantes. -Las fotografías con frecuencia se ven más brillantes contra un fondo negro.
Gris Implica seguridad, madurez y fiabilidad. Es el color del intelecto, el conocimiento y la sabiduría. Se percibe como clásico y de larga duración y a menudo elegante y refinado. El gris es considerado un color de compromiso, tal vez porque se encuentra entre los extremos de blanco y negro. Implica una perfecta neutralidad, razón por la cual los diseñadores a menudo lo utilizan como color de fondo..
El gris también puede ser asociado con la melancolía, la tristeza, los fantasmas, las cenizas, las telarañas y las casas embrujadas. Ejemplos de utilización del GRIS -Como color de fondo el gris es considerado un color de gran conversión porque genera confianza en el comprador.
EL COLOR CON EL QUE USTED SE IDENTIFICA. El color con el que yo me identifico es el color NEGRO, ya que para mi significa secreto, misterio, elegancia, además de ello, para mi significa un triunfo, me hace sentir bien, ya que combina con cualquier color. Cuando me visto con colores negros mi personalidad se vuelve mas estilizada y segura, y en lo sentimental no me afecta en nada, al contrario para mi no significa soledad, ni tristeza, tampoco significa el recuerdo de un ser querido para mi simboliza libertad y elegancia.
Hélio Oiticica (1937 – 1980) is widely regarded as one of Brazil’s leading artists of the twentieth century and a touchstone for much contemporary art made since the 1960s, primarily through his freewheeling, participatory works of art, performative environments, avant-garde films and abstract paintings. Even before the age of 20, Oiticica was a key member of the historic Rio de Janeiro-based Grupo Frente (1954-56), his radical play with geometric form and vibrant colors transcending the minimal lines of European constructivism and imbuing his work with an exuberant rhythm that resonated with the avant-garde music and poetry of his native Brazil. In the late 1950s, Oiticica would go on to become a leading figure of Brazilian Neo-Concretism (1959-61) that included other ground breaking artists such as Lygia Clark, Lygia Pape and the poet Ferreira Gullar, ultimately giving rise to the artistic movement known as Tropicalismo, named for a work of Oiticica’s from 1967.
Increasingly, Oiticica became a countercultural figure and underground hero, foregrounding bodily interaction with spatial and environmental concerns over pure aesthetics. “Ambient art,” he wrote, “is the overthrow of the traditional concept of painting-frame and sculpture – that belongs to the past. It gives way to the creation of ‘ambiences’: from there arises what I call ‘anti-art,’” which he later defined as “the era of the popular participation in the creative field.” This generous and generative practice would become highly influential for subsequent generations of artists, especially his Parangolés or ‘habitable paintings’ and all-encompassing series of installations, known variously as Núcleos (ceiling-hung geometric panels forming gradual chromatic experiences) and Propositions or Penetrables (labyrinth-like architectural environments made of sand and semi-permeable cabins). This supra-sensorial approach continued until his untimely death in 1980 at the age of 42.
In the realm of modern and contemporary art, few names shine as brightly as Hélio Oiticica. A visionary Brazilian artist, Oiticica redefined the boundaries of art through his innovative works that blend vibrant colors, dynamic forms, and immersive experiences. Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1937, Oiticica’s artistic journey transcended traditional artistic paradigms and led him to create a body of work that not only reflected his personal experiences but also encapsulated the cultural and social essence of Brazil. From his early experiments with painting to his groundbreaking “Parangolés” and revolutionary “Tropicália” installations, Oiticica’s legacy continues to captivate and inspire art enthusiasts around the world.
The Transformative Power of Color and Form
Hélio Oiticica’s artistic evolution was marked by his exploration of color and form. His early paintings exhibited an inclination towards geometric abstraction, heavily influenced by the artistic movements of the time. However, it was his shift towards three-dimensionality that truly set him apart. Oiticica began incorporating everyday materials and objects into his art, creating tactile and interactive pieces that blurred the line between art and life. This marked the inception of his revolutionary approach to art-making.
Parangolés: Art in Motion
One of Oiticica’s most iconic contributions to the art world is the series of works known as “Parangolés.” These wearable sculptures combined elements of painting, sculpture, and performance. Oiticica believed that art should not be confined to gallery spaces but should be experienced and lived. The Parangolés were designed to be worn by dancers during performances, allowing the artwork to come alive in motion. These vibrant and flowing creations celebrated the sensuality and dynamism of Brazilian culture while challenging the traditional notions of static art.
Tropicália: An Immersive Experience
In the late 1960s, Hélio Oiticica introduced “Tropicália,” a groundbreaking installation that transcended artistic boundaries and embodied his vision of an all-encompassing sensory experience. Inspired by the tropical landscapes and cultural diversity of Brazil, the installation combined visual, auditory, and tactile elements to create an environment that immersed visitors in a multisensory journey. The inclusion of sand, plants, and live animals blurred the line between art and reality, inviting participants to engage with the artwork on a profound level. Oiticica’s “Tropicália” anticipated the immersive art installations that would become popular in subsequent decades.
Legacy and Influence
Hélio Oiticica’s artistic legacy extends far beyond his physical creations. His work has had a profound impact on contemporary art practices, inspiring generations of artists to explore new mediums, challenge conventional norms, and engage with their cultural contexts. Oiticica’s emphasis on interactivity and participation anticipated the rise of participatory and socially engaged art forms, underscoring his status as a visionary ahead of his time.
Hélio Oiticica’s artistic journey was a dynamic exploration of color, form, and the fusion of art with life. Through his revolutionary concepts and daring experiments, he shattered the confines of traditional art, inviting viewers to step into a world of vibrant experiences and cultural connections. Oiticica’s legacy endures as a testament to the power of art to transcend boundaries, provoke thought, and ignite the senses. As we continue to engage with his work, we are reminded that art is not merely an object to behold, but a journey to embark upon—an experience that can change our perception of the world around us.
Hélio Oiticica (1937 – 1980) is widely regarded as one of Brazil’s leading artists of the twentieth century and a touchstone for much contemporary art made since the 1960s, primarily through his freewheeling, participatory works of art, performative environments, avant-garde films and abstract paintings. Even before the age of 20, Oiticica was a key member of the historic Rio de Janeiro-based Grupo Frente (1954-56), his radical play with geometric form and vibrant colors transcending the minimal lines of European constructivism and imbuing his work with an exuberant rhythm that resonated with the avant-garde music and poetry of his native Brazil. In the late 1950s, Oiticica would go on to become a leading figure of Brazilian Neo-Concretism (1959-61) that included other ground breaking artists such as Lygia Clark, Lygia Pape and the poet Ferreira Gullar, ultimately giving rise to the artistic movement known as Tropicalismo, named for a work of Oiticica’s from 1967.
Increasingly, Oiticica became a countercultural figure and underground hero, foregrounding bodily interaction with spatial and environmental concerns over pure aesthetics. “Ambient art,” he wrote, “is the overthrow of the traditional concept of painting-frame and sculpture – that belongs to the past. It gives way to the creation of ‘ambiences’: from there arises what I call ‘anti-art,’” which he later defined as “the era of the popular participation in the creative field.” This generous and generative practice would become highly influential for subsequent generations of artists, especially his Parangolés or ‘habitable paintings’ and all-encompassing series of installations, known variously as Núcleos (ceiling-hung geometric panels forming gradual chromatic experiences) and Propositions or Penetrables (labyrinth-like architectural environments made of sand and semi-permeable cabins). This supra-sensorial approach continued until his untimely death in 1980 at the age of 42.
Hélio Oiticica with Bólides and Parangolés in his studio in Rio de Janeiro c.1965
SUPRA-SENSORIAL
Supra-sensorial is a term devised by the Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica to describe the experience of being in one of his installations – environments that were designed to encourage the viewer’s emotional and intellectual participation. Supra-sensorial was about activating all the senses, in order to promote the idea of individual freedom. The brutal military dictatorship in Brazil during the 1960s and 1970s had caused Oiticica to advocate the radical potential of hanging out, rather than complying with society’s demands. He would invite the audience to walk barefoot on sand and straw or listen to Jimi Hendrix records while relaxing in a hammock.
Hélio Oiticica Bio
Hélio Oiticica (1937 – 1980) was a Brazilian visual artist, sculptor, painter, performance artist, and theorist, best known for his participation in the Neo-Concrete Movement, for his innovative use of color, and for what he later termed “environmental art”, which included Parangolés and Penetrables, like the famous Tropicália. Oiticica was also a filmmaker and writer. He is widely regarded as one of Brazil’s leading artists of the twentieth century and a touchstone for much contemporary art made since the 1960s, primarily through his freewheeling, participatory works of art, performative environments, avant-garde films and abstract paintings. Even before the age of 20, Oiticica was a key member of the historic Rio de Janeiro-based Grupo Frente (1954-56), his radical play with geometric form and vibrant colors transcending the minimal lines of European constructivism and imbuing his work with an exuberant rhythm that resonated with the avant-garde music and poetry of his native Brazil. In the late 1950s, Oiticica would go on to become a leading figure of Brazilian Neo-Concretism (1959-61) that included other ground breaking artists such as Lygia Clark, Lygia Pape and the poet Ferreira Gullar, ultimately giving rise to the artistic movement known as Tropicalismo, named for a work of Oiticica’s from 1967. Increasingly, Oiticica became a countercultural figure and underground hero, foregrounding bodily interaction with spatial and environmental concerns over pure aesthetics. “Ambient art,” he wrote, “is the overthrow of the traditional concept of paintingframe and sculpture – that belongs to the past. It gives way to the creation of ‘ambiences’: from there arise what I call ‘antiart,’” which he later defined as “the era of the popular participation in the creative field.” This generous and generative practice would become highly influential for subsequent generations of artists, especially so his Parangolés or ‘habitable paintings’ and all-encompassing series of installations, known variously as Núcleos (ceiling-hung geometric panels forming gradual chromatic experiences) and Propositions or Penetrables (labyrinth-like architectural environments made of sand and semi-permeable cabins). This supra-sensorial approach continued until his untimely death in 1980 at the age of 42. Oiticica’s work has been the subject of major recent museum exhibitions, including the critically acclaimed retrospective Hélio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium, which debuted at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Philadelphia in 2016 and traveled to the Art Institute of Chicago and the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2017. Hélio Oiticica: The Body of Color was exhibited at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 2006-2007 and in London at the Tate Modern in 2007. His work is included in the collections of numerous international institutions including Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Inhotim Centro de Arte Contemporãnea, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Museo de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain; Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, USA; Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA; Tate Modern, London, UK; and Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA, among others. The Projeto Hélio Oiticica was established in Rio de Janeiro in 1980 to manage the artist’s estate.
Hélio Oiticica CV
1980 Died in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1937 Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Selected Solo Exhibitions 2022 ‘Hélio Oiticica: Penetrável Macaléia’, Perez Art Museum Miami, Miami, FL, USA ‘Subterranean Tropicália Projects: PN15 1971/2022’, Socrates Sculpture Park, Queens, NY, USA ‘PN 23 Penetrável, Magic Square 3 – Invention of Color 1978’, Centro Hélio Oiticica, Brasília, Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Lisson Gallery, London, UK 2021 ‘PN10’, Centro Municipal de Arte Hélio Oiticica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2020 ‘Hélio Oiticica: Dance in my Experience’, Museu de de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Lisson Gallery, New York, NY, USA ‘Hélio Oiticica: Dance in my Experience’, Museu de Arte de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil 2018 ‘Hélio Oiticica: Spatial Relief and Drawings’, 1955-59, Galerie Lelong & Co., New York, NY, USA Usina del Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina 2017 ‘Hélio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium’, Art Institue of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA ‘Hélio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium’, Whitney Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA 2016 ‘Hélio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium’, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA, USA 2014 ‘Hélio Oiticica: Propositions’, The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland 2013 ‘Hélio Oiticica: The Great Labyrinth’, MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany ‘COSMOCOCA Programa in Progress: Hélio Oiticica/Neville d’Almeida’ Hamburger Bahnhof-Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Berlin, Germany 2012 ‘Penetrables’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA 2010 ‘Hélio Oiticica: Museu É O Mundo’, Fundação Itaú Cultural, Sao Paulo, Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica: Museu É O Mundo’, Paço Imperial and Casa Fraça-Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica: Museu É O Mundo’, Museu Colecção Berardo, Lisbon, Portugal ‘Hélio Oiticica Museu É O Mundo’. Museu Nacional do Conjunto Cultural da República. Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica Museu É O Mundo’. Museu Histórico do Pará, Belém. Brazil 2009 ‘Drawings: 1954-58’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA 2008 ‘Penetrables’, Centro Municipal de Arte Hélio Oiticica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2007 ‘Hélio Oiticica/Neville D’Almeida: Cosmococa Programa in Progress – QuasiCinema CC1 Trashiscapes’, Alison Jacques Gallery, London, UK 2006 ‘Hélio Oiticica: The Body of Color’, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, USA ‘Hélio Oiticica: The Body of Color’, Tate Modern, London, UK ‘Hélio Oiticica/Neville D’Almeida: Cosmococa Programa in Progress’, Colección Constantini, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina 2003 ‘Exposição Momentos: Frames, Cosmococa’, Galeria Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica: Cor, Imagem, Poética’, Centro de Arte Hélio Oiticica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2002 ‘Hélio Oiticica: Obra e Estratégia’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica: Quasi-Cinema’, Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK ‘Paisagem Zero’, SESC Pompéia, São Paulo, Brazil 2001 ‘Construção do Penetrável Magic Square No. 5’, Museu de Açude, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica: Quasi-Cinemas’, Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA ‘Hélio Oiticica: Quasi-Cinemas’, Kolnischer Kunstverein, Cologne, Germany ‘Hélio Oiticica: Quasi-Cinemas’, Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK ‘Hélio Oiticica: Quasi-Cinemas’, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY, USA 2000 ‘Beyond Space’, Havana Biennial, Havana, Cuba ‘Beyond Space’, Centro de Arte Hélio Oiticica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Beyond Space’, Espaços Públicos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1998 ‘Hélio Oiticica e a Cena Americana’, Centro de Arte Hélio Oiticica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica DesenHOs’, Centro de Arte Hélio Oiticica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Hélio Oiticica DesenHOs’, Centro de Estudos Brasileiros, Buenos Aires, Argentina ‘Hélio Oiticica Fotografias’, Galeria Paparazzi, São Paulo, Brazil 1996 ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Centro de Arte Hélio Oiticica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1992 ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Witte de With, Rotterdam, the Netherlands ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Galerie nationale de Jeu de Paume, Paris, France ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Fundació Antoni Tâpies, Barcelona, Spain ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Centro de Arte Moderna da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA 1990 ‘Hélio Mangueira Oitcica’, Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1989 ‘Grupo Frente e Metaesquemas’, Galeria de Arte São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil 1987 Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil 1986 ‘O Q Faco e Musica’, Galerie de Arte São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1981 ‘Homanagem a Mário Pedrosa’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1980 ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Galeria Chaves, Porto Alegre, Brazil 1972 ‘Metaesquemas’, Galerie Ralph Camargo, São Paulo, Brazil 1969 ‘Hélio Oiticica’, Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK 1968 ‘Apocalipopotesis’, Aterro Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1967 ‘Collective Parangole’, Aterro Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1966 ‘Environment of Nuclei and Bodies’, Galeria G4, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1961 ‘Os Projectos de Hélio Oiticica’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Group Exhibitions 2022 ‘Assembly Required’, Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St. Louis, MO, USA ‘Waiting for Tear Gas’, Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA, USA 2021 ‘This Must Be the Place: Latin American Artists in New York, 1965–1975’, the Americas Society, New York, NY, USA 2020 Lisson Gallery, London, UK ‘Spectrum’, Lisson Gallery, New York, NY, USA 2018 ‘Comfortably Numb’, Another Space, New York, NY, USA ‘Room 2 Installation’, Glenstone Museum, Potomac, MD, USA ‘O Rio do samba: Resistencia e reinvencao’, Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘AI-5 50 Anos’, Tomie Ohtake Institute, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Conceptual Strategies’ ‘Signals: If You Like I Shall Grow’, Thomas Dane Gallery, London, UK ‘Southern Geometries’, Foundation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris, France ‘Memories of Underdevelopment: Art and the Decolonial Turn in Latin America, 1960-1985’, Museo Jumex, Mexico City, Mexico ‘Géométries Américaines: Du Mexique á la Terre de Feu’, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris, France ‘A Tale of Two Worlds. Experimental Latin American Art in Dialogue with the MMK Collection 1940s-1980s’, MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Museo de Arte Moderno, Buenos Aires, Argentina ‘The Everywhere Studio’, The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, FL, USA 2017 ‘Memories of Underdevelopment: Art and the Decolonial Turn in Latin America, 1960-1985’, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, CA, USA ‘Performer and Participant’, Tate Modern, London, UK ‘Delirious’, The Met Breuer, New York, NY, USA ‘Ismo, Ismo, Ismo: Cine Experimental en America Latina’, Getty Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA ‘Making Concrete: Works from Argentina and Brazil in the Colleccion Patricia Phelps de Cisneros’, Pacific Central Time, Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA ‘Purity is a Myth’, Galaria Nara Roesler, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Grupo Frente’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA ‘Color’, Waddington Custot, London, UK ‘L’emozione dei COLORI nell’arte’, GAM, Castello de Rivoli, Italy 2016 ‘Collection Fadel’, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina ‘Antropogagia y Modernidad: Arte brasileño en la Colección Fadel, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina ‘Narrative/Collaborative’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA 2015 ‘International Pop’, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, USA ‘What Comes After a Sudden Death’, Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden, Germany ‘Possibilities of the Object: Experiments in Modern and Contemporary Brazilian Art’, The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, UK ‘International Pop’, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA ‘Adventures of the Black Square: Abstract Art and Society 1915-2015’, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, UK ‘From the Object to the World: Inhotim Collection’, Itaú Cultural, São Paulo, Brazil 2014 ‘Artevida (Política)’, Museu de Arte Moderna Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Radical Geometry: Modern Art of South America form the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection’, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK ‘América Latina 1960-2013. Photos + Text’, Museo Amparo, Puebla, Mexico ‘Alimentário – Arte e patrimônio alimentar brasilerio’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Tupi Or Not Tupi’, Museu Oscar Niemeyer, Curitiba, Brazil ‘Do Valongo á Favela: imaginário e periferia’, Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janerio, Brazil ‘Unbound: Contemporary Art after Frida Kahlo’, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA ‘Playgrounds. Reinventing the Square’, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain ‘Josephine Baker and Le Corbusier in Rio – A Transatlantic Affair’, Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Vontade Construtiva na Coleção Fadel’, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Impulse, Reason, Sense, Conflict’, Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, Miami, FL, USA ‘Other Primary Structures: Others 1’, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY, USA ‘Drawings & Works on Paper’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA 2013 ‘America Latina, 1960-2013’, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris, France ‘White’, Dickinson Roundell Inc., New York, NY, USA ‘Encuentros / Tensiones. Arte latinoamericano contemporáneo. Colección Malba + Comodatos, MALBA Colección Costantini’, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina ‘Brasiliana Installations From 1960 To The Present’, Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt/Main, Germany ‘Tropicalia Negra’, Museo Experimental El Eco, Mexico City, Mexico ‘Curators’ Series #6. Friends of London. Artists from Latin America in London from 196X – 197X’, The David Roberts Art Foundation, London, UK ‘The Content of Form’, Generali Foundation, Vienna, Austria ‘Concrete Remains: Postwar and Contemporary Art from Brazil’, Tierney Gardarin Gallery, New York, NY, USA ‘Discussion, envoy enterprises’, New York, NY ‘Pop, Realismi e Politica. Brasile – Argentina, anni Sessanta’, Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy ‘Constructive Will in the Fadel Collection’, Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘sous influences – arts plastiques et psychotropes’, La Maison Rouge, Paris, France ‘Foreign body – Corpo Estranho’, another vacant space, Berlin, Germany ‘Open Work in Latin America, New York & Beyond: Conceptualism Reconsidered, 1967-1978’, Hunter College, New York, NY, USA ‘CC6 Coke’s Head Soup – Hélio Oiticica/Thomas Valentin, Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin, Germany ‘La invención concreta. Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain ‘Sex, Money and Power’, Maison Particulière Art Center, Brussel, Belgium ‘Tate Modern displays’, Tate Modern, London, UK ‘Constructive Will in the Fadel Collection’, Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘DLA Piper Series: Constellations’, Tate Liverpool, Liverpool, UK ‘Summer Exposure’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA ‘EDGE, ORDER, RUPTURE’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA ‘Arts Under Influences’, La Maison Rouge, Paris, France ‘Open Work in Latin America, New York & Beyond: Conceptualism Reconsidered, 1967-1978’, The Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Art Gallery, CUNY Hunter College, New York, NY, USA 2012 ‘Roesler Hotel #21 – Buzz’, Galeria Nara Roesler, São Paulo, Brazil ‘América do Sul, a Pop Arte das contradições’, Museu Oscar Niemeyer, Curitiba, Brazil ‘Specters of Artaud: Language and the Arts in the 1950s’, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain ‘Arte de contradicciones. Pop, realismos y política. Brasil – Argentina 1960’, Fundación PROA, Buenos Aires, Argentina ‘De La Generosidad: Obras De La Colección Helga De Alvear’, Centro Gallego de Arte Contemporánea, Santiago de Compostela, Spain ‘Suprasensorial: Experiments in Light, Color and Space’, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C., USA ‘Concrete Parallels’, DAN galeria, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Topsy Turvy’, De Appel arts centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ‘Lygia Pape’, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain 2011 ‘The 1950s: (Neo-) Concretism’, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium in conjunction with Europalia.Brasil ‘Brazil.Brazil’, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium, in conjunction with Europalia.Brasil ‘Terra Brasilis’, ING Cultural Center, Brussels, Belgium, in conjunction with Europalia.Brasil ‘A Rua (The Street)’, Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Belgium ‘Malba: Ten Years’, Malba-Fundación Costantini (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires), Argentina ‘Playing with Form: Concrete Art from Brazil’, Dickinson, New York, NY, USA Galería de Arte Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Athena Galería de Arte, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Reinvention of the Modern’, Gagosian Gallery, Project space, Paris, France ‘Art and Confrontation in Latin America: 1910-2010’, Palacio de Bellas Artes and Ex Teresa Arte Actual, Mexico City, Mexico ‘Interventions in the Landscape’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA 2010 ‘Territories of Desire’, Museo Universitario Arte Contemporaneo, Mexico D.F., Mexico São Paulo Biennial, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Suprasensorial: Experiments in Light, Color, and Space’, The Geffen Contemporary at the Garden, Washington D.C., USA ‘Hélio Oiticica, Lygia Clark e Lygia Pape’, Baró Galeria, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Everlasting Gobstopper’, Michael Benevento, Los Angeles, CA, USA ‘Expanded Horizon’, Santander Cultural, Porto Alegre, Brazil ‘The Shape of Abstraction’, Boston University Art Gallery, Boston, MA, USA ‘Hélio Oiticica/Rirkit Tiravanija: Contact’, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA ‘Arsenal’, Baró Galeria, São Paulo, Brazil 2009 ‘Textiles: Art and the Social Fabric’, Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp, Belgium ‘Mexico: Expected/Unexpected’, TEA Tenerife Space for the Arts, Canary Islands; Stedelijk Museum Scheidam, The Netherlands; Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, CA, USA ‘Target Practice: Painting Under Attack 1949-78’, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA, USA ‘Brazil Contemporary’, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands ‘North Looks South: Building the Latin American Art Collection’, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, USA ‘NÓS’, Museu da República, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Hot Spots: Rio de Janeiro / Milan – Turin / Los Angeles, 1956-1969’, Kunsthaus Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ‘Intersections: The Grand Concourse at 100’, The Bronx Museum of Arts, Bronx, NY, USA 2008 ‘Here is Every: Four Decades of Contemporary Art’, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA ‘Color in to Light: Selections from the MFAH Collection’, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, USA ‘Isabel and Agustin Coppel Collection, Mexico: Expected / Unexpected’, La Maison Rouge, Paris, France ‘When Lives Become Form – Contemporary Brazilian Art: 1960-Present’, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA, USA ‘Untitled (Vicarious): Photographing the Constructed Object’, Gagosian Gallery, New York, NY, USA ‘Latin American and Caribbean Art: Selected Highlights from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art’, New York State Museum, Albany, NY, USA ‘Time & Place: Rio de Janeiro 1956-1964’, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden ‘Face to Face: Part 2’, The Daros Collections, Zurich, Switzerland ‘Arte ≠ Vida: Actions by Artists of the Americas, 1960-2000’, El Museo del Barrio, New York, NY, USA ‘Correspondences: Contemporary Art from the Coleccion Patricia Phelps de Cisneros’, Beard Gallery and Weil Gallery, Watson Fine Arts, Wheaton College, Norton, MA, USA 2007 ‘New Perspectives in Latin American Art, 1930-2006: Prints, Photographs, and Media Works’, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA ‘Face to Face’, The Daros Collections, Zurich, Switzerland ‘Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll since 1967’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL, USA ‘Dimensions of Constructive Art in Brazil: The Adolpho Leirner Collection’, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Houston, TX, USA ‘Dimensions of Constructive Art in Brazil: The Adolpho Leirner Collection’, Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich, Switzerland ‘Constructing a Poetic Universe: The Diane and Bruce Halle Collection of Latin American Art’, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Houston, TX, USA ‘The Geometry of Hope: Latin American Abstract Art from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection’, Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Grey Art Gallery at New York University, New York, NY, USA 2006 ‘Certain Encounters: Daros-Latinamerica Collection’, Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada ‘Concreta ’56: A Raiz da Forma’, Museum of Modern Art, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Defamation of Character’, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, Long Island City, NY, USA 2005 ‘Collection Remixed’, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, The Bronx, NY, USA ‘Open Systems: Rethinking Art c.1970’, Tate Modern, London, UK ‘Spectrum’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA ‘Tropicália: A revolution in Brazilian Culture’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL, USA ‘Tropicália: A revolution in Brazilian Culture’, The Barbican Gallery, London, UK; The Bronx Museum, the Bronx, NY, USA 2004 ‘Beyond Geometry: Experiments in Form, 1940’s-70’s’, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Miami Art Museum, Miami, FL, USA ‘Inverted Utopias: Avant-Garde Art in Latin America’, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, USA ‘MoMA at El Museo: Latin American and Caribbean Art from the Collection of the Museum of Modern Art’, El Museo del Barrio, New York, NY, USA ‘Organized Delirium: New York 1970-1978’, Galerie Lelong, New York, NY, USA 2003 ‘The Last Picture Show: Artists Using Photography, 1960-1982’, Walker Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA; UCLA Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Fotomuseum, Winterthur, Switzerland ‘X-Screen: Film Installations and Actions of the 1960’s and 1970’s’, Factory Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien, Vienna, Austria 2002 ‘Brazil: Body and Soul’, Guggenheim Foundation, New York, NY, USA ‘Caminhos do Contemporâneo, Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Parallels: Brazilian Art of the Second Half of the Twentieth Century in Context – Colección Cisneros’, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil; Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘poT’, Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool, UK; Galeria Fortes Vilaçia, São Paulo, Brazil ‘St. Petrischnee’, Migros Museum, Zürich, Switzerland 2001 ‘Central Cities’, Tate Modern, London, UK ‘Da Adversidade Vivemos’, Musée d’Art Moderne, Paris, France ‘Geometric Abstraction in Latin American Art: the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection’, Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA 2000 ‘Beyond Preconceptions: The Sixties Experiment’, National Gallery of Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; Zacheta National Gallery of Contemporary Art, Warsaw, Poland; Museo de Arte Moderno, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Museu de Ate Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil; Freedman Gallery, Albright Center for the Arts, Reading, PA, USA; Samuel P. Harn Museum, University of South Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Berkeley Art Museum, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA ‘Campos de Fuerzas: Un Ensayo Sobre lo Cinético’, Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ‘Force Fields’, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Barcelona, Spain ‘Heterotipos Faces del Cinetico’, Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain ‘Mostra Redescobrimento – Brasil 500 Anos’, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Vivencias’, Generali Foundation, Vienna, Austria 1999 ‘Circa 1968’, Fundação Serralves, Porto, Portugal ‘Exercise of Freedom’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA ‘Global Conceptualism’, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY, USA; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Museum of Modern Art, Miami, FL ‘Objecto’, Itacultural, São Paulo, Brazil; Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Poéticas da Cor’, Centro Cultural Light, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Trouble Spot Painting’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Antwerp, Belgium 1998 ’30 Anos de Tropicalismo’, Museo de Arte Moderna da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil ‘Il Bienal Internacional de Fotografia’, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil 1997 ‘Bienal do Mercosul’, Porto Alegre, Brazil ‘Documenta X’, Kassel, Germany 1995 ‘Bloco Experiences’, Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, NY, USA ‘Hall of Mirrors’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA 1994 ‘22 Bienal da São Paulo: Fundaçnão Bienal, Sala Especial Bloco – Experiêncas in Cosmococa – Program in Progress’, Galeria de Arte São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil 1992 ‘Brazilian Art’, Kunsthaus, Zürich, Switzerland ‘Artistas latinoamericanos del siglo XX’, Comisaria de la Ciudad de Sevilla para 1992; ‘Art d’Amerique Latine 1911-1968’, to Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France; Josef-Haubrich Kunsthalle, Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany; Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA 1991 ‘Experiência Neoconcreta: Rio de Janeiro, 59/60’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Imagem sobre Imagem’, Espaço Cultural Sérgio Porto, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1989 ‘Art in Latin America – The Modern Era, 1820-1980’, Hayward Gallery, London, UK; National Museum Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden; Palacio de Velásquez, Madrid, Spain ‘Mundo Abrigo’, Galeria 110 Arte Contemporânea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘The Latin American Spirit: Art and Artists in the United States 1920-1970’, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Bronx, NY, USA 1988 ‘Arte Brasileira do Século XX’, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Brazil Projects’, PS1 – the Institute for Art and Urban Resources, Inc. and Sociedade Cultural Art-Brasil, Long Island City, NY, USA 1987 ‘Latin American Artists in New York since 1970’, Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA ‘Modernidade: Art Brésilien du 20e Siècle’, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France ‘Palavra Imagica’, Museu de Arte Contemporana, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Tropicalia: 20 Anos’, Centro de Lazer SESC Pompeia, São Paulo, Brazil 1986 ‘IX Salão Nacional’, FUNARTE, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘JK e Os Anos 50 – Uma Visão da Cultura e do Cotidiano’, Galeria Investiarte, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Lygia Clark e Hélio Oiticica’, Sala especial do 9 Salão Nacional de Artes Plasticas, Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Museu de Arte Contemporãnea, São Paulo, Brazil 1985 ‘i’, FUNARTE, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘A Arte e Seus Materiais-Atitudes Contemporaneas’, Sala Especial do Salão Nacional de Artes Plasticas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Opinião 65’, Galeria de Arte BANERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Tropicália, Gil-20 Anos Luz’, Anhembi, São Paulo, Brazil 1984 ‘Colecão Gilberto Chateuabriand – Retrato e Auto-Retrato da Arte Brasileira’, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Grupo Frente 1954-1956; I Exposicao Nacional de Arte Astrata – Hotel Quitandinha 1953’, Galeria de Arte BANERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Neoconcretismo 1959-1961’, Ciclo de Exposicoes sobre Arte no Rio de Janeiro – Galeria de Arte BANERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Portrais of a Country – Brazilian Modern Art from the Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection’, Barbican Art Gallery, London, UK 1983 ‘Quase Cinema’, FUNARTE / Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1981 ‘Latin American Artists’, Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland 1978 ‘Objecto na Arte: Brasil Anos 60’, Museu de Arte Brasileira da FAAP, São Paulo, Brazil 1976 ‘Arte Brasileira, Seculo XX – Caminhos e Tendencias’, Galeria de Arte Global, São Paulo, Brazil 1973 ‘Expoprojeção’, São Paulo, Brazil 1972 ‘Exposição’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1970 ‘Abstracao Geometrica – Concretismo e Neoconcretismo’, Galeria FUNARTE, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Information’, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA ‘Ogramurbana’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1967 ‘IV Modern Art Salon’, Brasil ‘V Biennale de Paris’, Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France ‘Apresentacao da Vanguarda Brasileira’, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil ‘Barata, Waldemar Cordeiro, Hélio Oiticica’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘I Bienal Nacional de Artes Pasticas’, Secretaria de Educacao e Cultura da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil ‘Ninth International Art Exhibition of Japan’, Tokyo, Japan ‘Nova Objetividade Brasileira’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1966 Galeria Atrium, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Opinião 66’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1965 ‘VIII Viennial’, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Opinião 65’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Quarta Exposicao do Grupo Frente’, Cia Siderúgica Nacional, Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1961 ‘Exposicao Neoconcreta’, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil 1960 ‘Konkrete Kunst’, Zürich, Switzerland 1959 ‘Exposicao Neoconcreta’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/ Ministerio da Educacao e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Museu de Arte Moderna, Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo, Brazil; Salvador, Bahia, Brazil 1957 ‘Arte Moderno en Brasil: Esculturas, Pinturas, Dibujos, Grabados’, Museu Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina ‘Biennial’, São Paulo, Brazil ‘Modern Art of Brazil’, Museo Nacional de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1956 ‘Secuondo Exposicao do Grupo Frente’, Resende, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Exposicao Neoconcreta’, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil; Ministerio da Educacao e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘Pintura Brasileña Contemporanea’, Montevideo, Uruguay 1955 ‘Premiero Exposicao do Grupo Frente’, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janerio, Brazil Filmography Agripina é Roma-Manhattan, 1972, super-8 (unfinished) Brasil Jorge, c. 1971, super-8 Cosmococa Programa in Progress, 1973, ‘Experience-Blocks’ composed of slides, soundtrack and instructions, designated CC1 to CC9 CC1 – Trashiscapes, with Neville d’Almeida CC2 – Onobject, with Neville d’Almeida CC3 – Maileryn, with Neville d’Almeida CC4 – Nocagions, with Neville d’Almeida CC5 – Hendrix-war, with Neville d’Almeida CC6, with Thomas Valentin, 1973, slides, soundtrack and instructions CC7, with Guy Brett, 1973, slides, soundtrack and instructions CC8, alone or with Vigilia / Über Coca, proposal for Silviano Santiago, 1973, slides, soundtrack and instructions CC9 – Coca Oculta proposal for Carlos Vergara, 1973, slides, soundtrack and instructions Helena inventa Ângela Maria, 1975, 5 ‘Experience-Blocks’, with slides, soundtrack and instructions that vary according to the situation Neyrotika, 1973, 80 slides with soundtrack and instructions (unfinished) Norma inventa La Bengell, 1975 (unfinished) Awards 1970 Guggenheim Fellowship, New York, NY, USA 1969 Artist-in-Residence, Sussex University, Brighton, UK Monographs Basualdo, Carlos. Hélio Oiticica: Quasi-Cinemas. Ostfildern, Germany: Hatje Cantz, 2001. Brett, Guy and Luciano Figueiredo. Oiticica in London. London, UK: Tate Publishing, 2007. D’Almeida, Neville and Hélio Oiticica. Cosmococa: Programa in Progress. Rio de Janeiro: Projecto Hélio Oiticica, 2005. Figueiredo, Luciano. Hélio Oiticica: Painting Beyond the Frame. Rio de Janeiro: Silvia Roesler edicoes de arte, 2008. Ramírez, Mari Carmen. Hélio Oiticica: The Body of Color. Houston: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 2007. Small, Irene. Hélio Oiticica: Folding the Frame. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016. Zelevansky, Lynne, Elisabeth Sussman, James Rondeau, et al. Hélio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium. Pittsburgh, PA: Carnegie Museum of Art, 2016. Collections Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, Miami, FL, USA Colección Isabel and Agustin Coppel, Mexico Daros-Latinamerica, Zürich, Switzerland Frankel Foundation, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA Glenstone Foundation, Potomac, MD, USA Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Inhotim Centro de Arte Contemporânea, Belo Horizonte, Brazil Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina Museo de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Niterói, Brazil Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, USA Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA Pérez Art Museum Miami, FL, USA Tate Modern, London, UK Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Max Bill: A Pioneer of Concrete Art and Functional Design
Max Bill (22 December 1908 – 9 December 1994) was a Swiss architect, artist, painter, typeface designer, industrial designer and graphic designer. Bill is widely considered the single most decisive influence on Swiss graphic design beginning in the 1950s with his theoretical writing and progressive work.[3] His connection to the days of the Modern Movement gave him special authority. As an industrial designer, his work is characterized by a clarity of design and precise proportions.[4] Examples are the elegant clocks and watches designed for Junghans, a long-term client. Among Bill’s most notable product designs is the “Ulmer Hocker” of 1954, a stool that can also be used as a shelf element, a speaker’s desk, a tablet or a side table. Although the stool was a creation of Bill and Ulm school designer Hans Gugelot, it is often called “Bill Hocker” because the first sketch on a cocktail napkin was Bill’s work.
Max Bill, a Swiss artist, architect, and designer, stands as a prominent figure whose innovative contributions have left an indelible mark on the realms of concrete art and functional design. His multifaceted career spanned several decades and encompassed a wide range of disciplines, including sculpture, painting, graphic design, and architecture. Through his unwavering commitment to purity, precision, and mathematical principles, Max Bill became a driving force behind the redefinition of art and design in the 20th century.
Formative Years and the Bauhaus Influence
Born on December 22, 1908, in Winterthur, Switzerland, Max Bill’s creative journey was deeply influenced by the ideals of the Bauhaus movement. He attended the Bauhaus school in Dessau, Germany, where he studied under luminaries such as Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Oskar Schlemmer. The school’s emphasis on the synthesis of art, craft, and technology left an indelible impression on Bill, shaping his vision of art’s potential to enhance and integrate with everyday life.
Concrete Art: A New Visual Language
Max Bill’s exploration of form, color, and structure led him to become a pivotal figure in the Concrete Art movement. Characterized by its focus on geometric abstraction, mathematical precision, and visual clarity, Concrete Art sought to strip away unnecessary ornamentation and evoke an aesthetic purity that transcended cultural boundaries. Bill’s artworks, often composed of carefully calculated shapes and harmonious color palettes, exemplified this philosophy.
One of his most celebrated works, “Variation 11,” epitomizes the essence of Concrete Art. Through a simple arrangement of rectangles and squares in contrasting colors, Bill masterfully created a visual dialogue that stimulates contemplation and interaction. His dedication to reducing art to its fundamental elements while eliciting complex emotional responses showcased his mastery of balancing simplicity and depth.
Functional Design and the Ulm School of Design
Max Bill’s innovative spirit extended beyond the canvas, propelling him into the realm of functional design. He was a founding member of the Ulm School of Design (Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm) in Germany, an institution renowned for its rigorous approach to design education. As a professor and later as the school’s director, Bill championed the principles of clarity, functionality, and industrial production.
His furniture designs, characterized by clean lines and ergonomic forms, exemplified his commitment to harmonizing aesthetics with utility. The “Ulmer Stool,” a minimalist yet versatile piece of furniture, encapsulates Bill’s ethos of creating designs that are both visually appealing and functional in daily life.
Max Bill’s legacy continues to resonate in the fields of art, design, and architecture. His relentless pursuit of purity, balance, and mathematical precision forged a bridge between artistic expression and practical functionality. Max Bill’s influence on Concrete Art and functional design remains an enduring testament to his visionary thinking, serving as an inspiration for future generations of artists and designers who seek to fuse creativity with purpose.
In a world that often values complexity, Max Bill’s commitment to simplicity and elegance serves as a timeless reminder of the power of reduction and the profound impact it can have on shaping the visual and functional landscape of our lives.
Julio Le Parc was born into a family of limited economic means. At age thirteen he moved with his mother and brothers to Buenos Aires.While there he attended the School of Fine Arts and showed growing interest in artistic avant-garde movement in Argentina. The School of Fine Arts is where Le Parc, along with fellow artists Hugo Demarco, F. García Miranda, Francisco Sobrino, Horacio García Rossi, Molnar, François Morellet, Sergio Mǫyano Servanes, Yvaral (Jean Pierre Vasarely), and Jöel Stein formed the Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visual, or GRAV.
A precursor of Kinetic Art and Op Art, founding member of Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visual and recipient of the Grand Prize for Painting at the 33rd Venice Biennale in 1966, Julio Le Parc is a major figure in modern art history. The socially conscious artist was expelled from France in May 1968, after participating in the Atelier Populaire and its protests against major institutions.
Julio Le Parc is an Argentine-born artist known for his contributions to the Op Art and Kinetic Art movements. He was born on September 23, 1928, in Mendoza, Argentina. Le Parc’s work is characterized by its exploration of light, movement, and perception.
Le Parc initially studied at the School of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires before moving to Paris in 1958, where he became a prominent figure in the burgeoning kinetic art scene. He co-founded the Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (GRAV) in 1960, alongside other artists who shared his interest in exploring the visual effects of light and movement.
His artwork often features geometric patterns, optical illusions, and interactive elements that engage viewers in a dynamic and immersive experience. Le Parc’s installations and sculptures use various materials and techniques to create mesmerizing visual effects that challenge the viewer’s perception.
One of his most famous works is “Continuel-Lumière” (1962), a series of rotating light sculptures that create ever-changing patterns and colors. Another notable piece is “La Longue Marche” (1974), a large-scale installation composed of reflective elements that multiply and distort the viewer’s image as they move through the space.
Julio Le Parc’s contributions to the world of art have earned him international recognition, and his works are held in prestigious museum collections around the world. He has been honored with numerous awards and exhibitions, solidifying his legacy as a key figure in the Op Art and Kinetic Art movements.
Please note that my knowledge is current up until September 2021, and there may have been developments or events related to Julio Le Parc since that time.
Félix Suazo (La Habana, Cuba, 1966 – reside en Caracas) es un destacado profesional en el ámbito del arte contemporáneo, reconocido por su labor como profesor, crítico de arte, investigador y curador de exposiciones. Desde su llegada a Venezuela en 1991, ha contribuido significativamente al desarrollo y enriquecimiento del panorama artístico en el país.
Con una formación sólida, Félix Suazo se graduó en el Instituto Superior de Arte de La Habana (ISA) con mención en Escultura en 1990. Posteriormente, continuó su formación al completar una Maestría en Museología en la Universidad de Valladolid, España, entre octubre de 2002 y febrero de 2003, gracias a una beca otorgada por la Fundación Carolina.
A lo largo de su carrera, ha desempeñado roles de importancia en varias instituciones culturales y académicas. Entre 1997 y 2003, trabajó como investigador en la Galería de Arte Nacional (GAN) en Caracas. Posteriormente, asumió la posición de investigador en el Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas (MAC) desde 2004 hasta 2008. Desde 2008 hasta 2013, ocupó el cargo de Coordinador de Exposiciones y Curador en Periférico Caracas / Arte Contemporáneo. Además, entre 2015 y 2018, tuvo un rol destacado como Gerente de la Sala TAC en la Fundación Cultural Trasnocho, en Caracas.
Un elemento esencial en la carrera de Suazo ha sido su participación en El Anexo Arte Contemporáneo, donde es miembro del equipo gestor. Desde 2007, ha formado parte del equipo curatorial de esta institución que ha contribuido a la promoción y difusión del arte contemporáneo en Venezuela.
Félix Suazo es autor de varias publicaciones importantes que abordan temas cruciales en el arte y la política. Entre sus libros más destacados se encuentran “A diestra y siniestra. Comentarios sobre arte y política” (2005), “Umbrales de la museología” (2013) y “Panorámica. Arte Emergente en Venezuela, 2000-2012” (2014).
Además de su labor como curador y escritor, Suazo ha sido docente en la Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Artes (UNEARTE), donde ha compartido su experiencia y conocimientos con las nuevas generaciones de artistas y profesionales del arte.
En un sentido más amplio, Félix Suazo se ha destacado por su compromiso con la promoción y discusión del arte contemporáneo en Venezuela y más allá. A través de su trabajo como docente, curador, investigador y escritor, ha dejado una huella importante en la escena artística, fomentando la reflexión y el diálogo en torno al arte, la política y la sociedad contemporánea. Su labor en instituciones culturales y su contribución a la literatura sobre arte han contribuido al enriquecimiento del discurso artístico en el país y en la región.
En una entrevista con el investigador y curador Félix Suazo, el explora diversos aspectos cruciales del campo de las artes visuales en Venezuela. A continuación, se destacan los puntos más sobresalientes de la conversación:
Papel del Curador y Críticas:
Suazo sugiere que la persistente crítica hacia los curadores es una respuesta psicológica dentro del mundo del arte, donde se busca encontrar culpables para las tensiones y malestares inherentes al campo. Señala que el arte es un sistema con rituales y responsabilidades compartidas, y que el consenso sobre la valoración de las obras es responsabilidad de varios agentes. Hace hincapié en que las hostilidades entre diferentes actores del campo son artificiales y que el diálogo y la diferencia son esenciales para enriquecer el discurso artístico.
Democratización de los Museos:
Suazo destaca que la palabra clave en la democratización de los museos es “inclusión”, que implica no solo la participación masiva, sino también la consideración de estándares de calidad que respeten las diferencias entre los públicos. Argumenta que las propuestas oficiales están tendiendo hacia la homogeneización en lugar de la diversificación, y enfatiza que la programación debería abarcar varias visiones del arte y la sociedad, así como fomentar estudios de propuestas desafiantes. Subraya que la democratización implica diversificar el saber, el conocimiento y el gusto, lo cual requiere una programación variada y actividades que promuevan la apreciación profunda de las obras.
Desafíos Actuales y Reflexiones:
Señala la importancia de reflexionar sobre la metamorfosis en la crítica de arte y el reconocido vigor de las prácticas de la visualidad contemporánea en Venezuela. Llama a cuestionar si las prácticas contemporáneas son igualmente vigorosas en todo el país y a reflexionar sobre los soportes disponibles para discutir y analizar el arte. Sugiere que se han perdido espacios para la reflexión sistemática y que los espacios de reflexión son esenciales para la documentación y la multiplicación de opiniones.
Arte, Cultura y Política:
Argumenta que la sobrepolitización en los espacios impresos, oficiales e independientes ha descuidado el papel de la cultura como hacedora de ciudadanía y articuladora política. Defiende la idea de que el arte y las obras hablan de universos simbólicos dentro de una sociedad, y que la cultura provee herramientas para que los ciudadanos hagan uso pleno de su independencia.
Museos y Espacios Alternativos:
Reconoce que los espacios alternativos y el arte contemporáneo son valiosos y naturales dentro de los procesos creativos del país. Sin embargo, señala que la falta de presencia sistemática del arte contemporáneo en los museos nacionales ha dañado la valoración de la cultura visual contemporánea. Asegura que la labor institucional museística es insustituible y que la carencia de un sistema de museos beneficia a nadie.
Resistencia a lo Contemporáneo:
Explica que la resistencia a lo contemporáneo proviene de la resistencia general hacia el arte, y que el arte contemporáneo opera de manera diferente al arte tradicional. Subraya que los mitos en torno al arte y los artistas, como el de la torre de marfil, han sido heredados por el arte contemporáneo, pero que en realidad el artista contemporáneo aborda la realidad y muestra algo valioso. Destaca que el arte contemporáneo es cotidiano, contextual y desafiante, y que la percepción de distancia es un mito que puede ser un punto de partida para comprenderlo mejor.
Participó en una charla titulada “Anti-Readymade: ¿contra quién?” como parte de las actividades relacionadas con la exposición “Anti-Readymade” en Espacio Monitor. La charla se llevará a cabo el miércoles 13 de septiembre en el Galpón 17 del Centro de Arte Los Galpones a las 4:00 p.m.
En esta charla, Suazo aborda la problemática permanencia del concepto de “readymade” en el ámbito intelectual y cultural contemporáneo. Señala que el “readymade” no solo se encuentra en el arte, sino también en diversas prácticas sociales, convirtiéndose en una especie de “Caballo de Troya” que desafía los dominios de la exclusividad artística y cuestiona las nociones establecidas sobre el arte. Suazo plantea una pregunta provocadora: “¿contra quién está el anti-readymade?”.
Esta charla es parte de un análisis profundo sobre el concepto de “anti-readymade” y su influencia en el mundo del arte y la cultura contemporánea. Suazo explora cómo el “anti-readymade” desafía las normas preestablecidas y cómo su presencia genera tensiones en la esfera artística. Su análisis sugiere que tanto la crítica como la admiración hacia el “anti-readymade” pueden reforzar su significado y validez.
La charla de Félix Suazo se llevará a cabo en el Galpón 17 de Los Galpones, ubicado en la 8va. Transversal con Av. Ávila de Los Chorros. La entrada será libre, y se pueden obtener más detalles a través de las cuentas de redes sociales @losgalpones y @espaciomonitor.
Bélgica Rodríguez se ha distinguido por su destacada y profunda labor en el ámbito del arte venezolano y latinoamericano. Su presencia abarca diversas esferas, ejerciendo roles como curadora, docente, conferencista y gestora cultural, contribuyendo de manera significativa al enriquecimiento del panorama artístico.
Con una sólida formación académica, Bélgica Rodríguez es licenciada en Letras por la Universidad Central de Venezuela. Su pasión por el arte la llevó a continuar su formación con una Maestría en Arte en el Courtauld Institute of Art de la Universidad de Londres, así como a realizar un Doctorado en Historia del Arte en la Sorbona de París. Su enfoque multidisciplinario se refleja en su diplomado en Museología y Museografía en la misma universidad parisina.
Como una experta versátil, Bélgica Rodríguez es colaboradora activa en diversas revistas internacionales de arte. Desde 1992 hasta 1994, ejerció como responsable de la Sección Arte y Arquitectura Siglos XIX y XX para el Handbook of Latin American Studies de la Biblioteca del Congreso en Washington, D.C. Además, es cofundadora de la revista Arte Plural de Venezuela, una plataforma de importancia en el diálogo artístico.
Su prolífica carrera como autora abarca más de cuarenta libros, entre los que se incluyen obras fundamentales como “Breve Historia de la Escultura en Venezuela”, “La Pintura Abstracta en Venezuela 1945-1965”, “Ramón Vásquez Brito, el Hombre el Artista” y “Figuración Fabulación en Venezuela”. Sus monografías sobre artistas icónicos como Jesús Rafael Soto y Ramón Chirino también enriquecen el panorama artístico y académico.
La impactante influencia de Bélgica Rodríguez se refleja en los reconocimientos que ha recibido. La Orden Única Universidad Central de Venezuela le fue otorgada en virtud de su destacado desempeño académico y su papel como formadora de nuevas generaciones en las artes visuales. Por su contribución al sector cultural venezolano, fue galardonada con la Orden Andrés Bello. Además, su dedicación a la investigación y promoción del arte centroamericano y salvadoreño fue reconocida con la Orden del Libertador de los Esclavos José Simeón Cañas, en Grado de Comendador, en 2007. Asimismo, la Orden Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi, otorgada por la Asamblea Legislativa del estado Nueva Esparta, destaca su destacada trayectoria y el impacto que ha tenido en la cultura venezolana.
Jaime Saso, a musical virtuoso, carries a unique background, born in Panama and raised in the cultural melting pot of Texas. This multicultural upbringing has become the bedrock of his diverse musical style, seamlessly blending genres and roles as a guitarist, producer, and singer-songwriter. Saso’s debut album, “The Levee,” stands as a testament to his ability to craft serene and introspective compositions, inspired by his global experiences. His connection to The Beatles further showcases his deep-rooted passion for artistic expression and unity.
AMM. How did your multicultural background, being born in Panama and raised in Texas, influence your musical style and songwriting?
JS. Being exposed to different cultures, languages and sounds early on in life made me curious and I’m sure led to my desire to travel the world. I’ve always listened to many different musical genres, even if I don’t understand the language. Traveling the world exposed me to even more genres, sounds, and amazing musicians. I’m sure all of this subconsciously (and sometimes intentionally) finds its way into my art.
AMM. As a musician who excels in various roles such as guitarist, producer, and singer-songwriter, how do you balance and integrate these different aspects of your musical identity?
JS. It’s hard to balance these roles sometimes, but for me, the song is king. I love songwriting probably more than any other aspect of making music, so I probably spend the most time on that. When I’m making a record, I shift into producer mode, integrating all my other skills to serve the song. Of course, I’m playing guitar through all of these roles. I wish I had the discipline to practice guitar more like I did when I was a teenager, when I just locked myself in my room and practiced for hours.
AMM. The reviews of your debut album “The Levee” have been incredibly positive, with mentions of its artistry, calmness, and well-written songs.
JS. Could you tell us about the creative process behind the album and what inspired its themes and melodies?This album is comprised of songs I’d written over many years, spanning many themes. It was the first album I produced, so I was curious to try out different sounds and recording methods. I also had a lot of different musicians play on that record, and I even composed some horn parts which was fun!
AMM. It’s clear that you have a wide range of musical influences, from classic songwriters to diverse composers and instrumentalists. How do you incorporate these varied inspirations into your music, and how does it contribute to your distinctive sound?
JS. I’d say it’s more subconscious than anything else. What goes in (to my earholes) comes out through my playing and writing. I try not to think about it too much, though my sound could probably best be classified as Americana/folk-rock.
AMM. Your love for The Beatles is evident, especially with your tradition of signing at the Strawberry Fields memorial. How have The Beatles influenced your approach to songwriting and your musical career as a whole?
JS. The Beatles were always pushing the envelope and experimenting. They were like magicians. At one point I got really deep into the music theory behind their songwriting (I got a book called “The Songwriting Secrets of the Beatles,” which just fascinated me). Their music is timeless, which is the ultimate thing to strive for as a musician. Busking at Strawberry Fields has made me a better performer, and I’ve made some great friends and met some interesting people there!
AMM. “Stephanie” has been praised as a gorgeous guitar-driven ballad with hit single potential. Can you share the story behind this song and how it came to be part of your debut LP “The Levee”?
JS. I had just moved into a new place, and upon waking up there on my first morning, I had this melody in my head, so I quickly mumbled it into my recorder so I wouldn’t forget it. Later, I came up with a guitar part for it, and the song ended up being about someone who’s lost their way.
AMM. Who was John Lennon for You? and What is John Lennon’s song “Imagine” for you?
JS. John was a genius songwriter, first and foremost. His songs have always resonated with me more than the other Beatles, though I love them all. He was really deep, a great wordsmith, and also very humorous. His song Imagine, to me, is a dream. It’s ok to dream, you are not alone. Maybe if we all dreamed more and pursued our dreams more, the world would be a better place.
AMM. On July 7th. You did the Kube Man performance series. Can you share your experiences? What did you learn from it? What did you like most about? and What is the Kube Man for you?
JS. I had a blast being Kube Man! Physically it felt a bit constricting, but I also felt liberated in a way. I realized that most people aren’t too receptive to new sights and experiences, though some definitely are! I loved seeing the fascination in people’s eyes, and the curiosity of the kids. I know I was fascinated when I first saw Kube Man while I was busking at Strawberry Fields. For me, Kube Man is a teacher with a very important lesson: We are all one. And for me, it will always be one of my favorite experiences at Strawberry Fields, since it perfectly ties into John Lennon’s message of unity, peace and love.
August 11 is Hip-Hop Day, a time to celebrate the history and culture of one of the most influential musical genres in the world. Hip-hop, with its infectious beats, poetic lyricism, and revolutionary spirit, has carved its own niche in history. As we commemorate Hip-Hop August 11th, it’s essential to delve into the genre’s roots, its evolution, and the profound influence it continues to exert on the world of music. Hip-hop began in the Bronx in the early 1970s, when DJ Kool Herc threw a party and started extending the instrumental breaks of funk and soul songs. This led to the development of breakdancing, MCing, and graffiti, the three pillars of hip-hop culture.
Origins and Pioneers
Hip-hop emerged from the Bronx, New York, in the early 1970s as a cultural movement that intertwined music, dance, art, and social activism. The genre’s foundations were laid by influential figures like DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa, who used turntables and mixers to create innovative sounds, blending funk, soul, and rhythm and blues. August 11th serves as a symbolic reminder of the day Kool Herc hosted a legendary back-to-school party in 1973, often considered the birth of hip-hop culture.
Cultural Resonance
What began as neighborhood block parties soon blossomed into a global phenomenon. Hip-hop was more than just music; it was a platform for marginalized voices to express their struggles, aspirations, and perspectives. August 11th symbolizes this revolutionary spirit, as artists seized the opportunity to address issues like social injustice, economic disparities, and racial inequality. The genre’s lyrical prowess became a megaphone for change, amplifying voices that were often silenced.
Evolution and Innovation
Over the decades, hip-hop evolved in remarkable ways, diversifying its sound, style, and impact. The 1980s witnessed the rise of rap, as artists like Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, and Public Enemy transformed hip-hop into a mainstream cultural force. The ’90s introduced the world to the golden age of hip-hop, characterized by intricate storytelling, complex wordplay, and genre-defying experimentation. August 11th became a beacon of creativity, inspiring artists to push the boundaries of rap and music production.
Global Reach and Contemporary Influence
As the 21st century dawned, hip-hop’s influence reached every corner of the globe. Its infectious rhythms and relatable themes resonated with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. International artists began embracing hip-hop, infusing their own cultural elements to create a unique fusion. August 11th became a day not only to celebrate hip-hop’s American origins but also its role as a universal language that united people through shared experiences. Over the years, hip-hop has spread around the world and become a global phenomenon. It has also evolved to include a wide variety of subgenres, from old school to trap. But no matter what form it takes, hip-hop is always about expressing oneself, telling stories, and connecting with others.
Digital Age and Beyond
In the digital age, hip-hop’s impact multiplied exponentially. The advent of the internet and social media allowed emerging artists to bypass traditional gatekeepers and share their music directly with audiences. Hip-Hop August 11th now serves as an annual reminder of the genre’s power to unite, inspire, and challenge the status quo. Online celebrations, music releases, and community events pay homage to hip-hop’s rich history while looking toward an exciting future.
As we celebrate Hip-Hop August 11th, we honor the genre’s journey from its humble beginnings to its current status as a global cultural phenomenon. Hip-hop’s ability to transcend boundaries, amplify voices, and inspire change continues to shape the music landscape. August 11th stands as a testament to the genre’s enduring impact, reminding us that hip-hop is not merely a style of music, but a dynamic and transformative force that has reshaped the world of music and beyond.
Hip-Hop Day is a time to celebrate the diversity and creativity of hip-hop culture. It is also a time to reflect on the impact that hip-hop has had on the world. Hip-hop has given a voice to the marginalized and has helped to break down barriers of race, class, and gender. It has also been a force for social change, speaking out against injustice and inequality.
On Hip-Hop Day, let’s come together to celebrate this vibrant and important culture. Let’s listen to our favorite hip-hop songs, watch breakdancing battles, and admire graffiti art. Let’s also learn about the history of hip-hop and its impact on the world.
Here are some ways to celebrate Hip-Hop Day:
Listen to your favorite hip-hop songs. Watch a breakdancing battle. Admire graffiti art. Learn about the history of hip-hop. Attend a hip-hop festival or concert. Start your own hip-hop crew. Write a rap or poem. Create a piece of graffiti art. No matter how you choose to celebrate, make sure to have fun and spread the love of hip-hop!
Here are some of the pioneers of hip-hop who helped to shape the culture:
DJ Kool Herc Afrika Bambaataa Grandmaster Flash The Sugarhill Gang LL Cool J Run-DMC Public Enemy The Notorious B.I.G. Tupac Shakur Jay-Z These artists and many others helped to make hip-hop what it is today. They paved the way for future generations of hip-hop artists and helped to spread the culture around the world.
Hip-hop is more than just music. It is a culture that is expressed through music, dance, art, and fashion. It is a culture that is about self-expression, creativity, and community.
Hip-hop is a powerful force for good in the world. It has given a voice to the marginalized and has helped to break down barriers of race, class, and gender. It has also been a force for social change, speaking out against injustice and inequality.
On Hip-Hop Day, let’s come together to celebrate this vibrant and important culture. Let’s listen to our favorite hip-hop songs, watch breakdancing battles, and admire graffiti art. Let’s also learn about the history of hip-hop and its impact on the world.
Hip-hop’s influence on music extends far beyond its own genre, touching various musical styles and inspiring countless artists to incorporate hip-hop elements into their work. Hip-hop’s influenced neo soul, nu metal, and others. Here are some examples of different genres that have been influenced by hip-hop bits and pieces:
Pop Music: Pop artists have frequently integrated hip-hop beats and production techniques into their songs. Artists like Madonna, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake have all experimented with hip-hop-inspired sounds in their music, adding a fresh and urban edge to their pop hits.
R&B: R&B artists have often collaborated with hip-hop artists and incorporated rap verses into their songs. The fusion of R&B and hip-hop has given birth to a subgenre known as “hip-hop soul,” where artists like Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, and Usher seamlessly blend the two styles.
Electronic Music: Hip-hop’s rhythmic patterns have influenced electronic dance music (EDM) producers, who often infuse their tracks with hip-hop beats and samples. This fusion has given rise to subgenres like “trap” and “trapstep,” with artists such as Flume, Diplo, and Skrillex incorporating hip-hop elements into their electronic compositions.
Rock: Some rock bands have experimented with hip-hop-inspired rhythms and vocal delivery, creating a unique hybrid of genres. Bands like Linkin Park and Rage Against the Machine have incorporated rap vocals and hip-hop-influenced drum patterns into their rock sound.
Indie and Alternative Music: Indie and alternative artists have also drawn inspiration from hip-hop, incorporating elements like sampling, spoken word passages, and rhythmic patterns into their music. Artists like Gorillaz, Beck, and TV on the Radio have all explored this fusion of genres.
Latin Music Salsa): Hip-hop’s influence has extended to Latin music, resulting in the creation of “Latin hip-hop” or “reggaeton,” where Latin artists infuse traditional rhythms with hip-hop beats and rap vocals. Reggaeton artists like Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin have achieved international success by blending these elements.
Country Music:Even country music hasn’t been immune to hip-hop’s influence. The subgenre known as “hick-hop” or “country rap” emerged, fusing country storytelling with hip-hop production. Artists like Kid Rock and Florida Georgia Line have incorporated rap verses and hip-hop beats into their country songs.
Jazz and Funk: Hip-hop’s roots in sampling and rhythm have also found their way into jazz and funk music. Jazz and funk musicians have drawn from hip-hop’s production techniques and used sampled beats and scratches to create a modern twist on their traditional styles.
These examples showcase the incredible versatility of hip-hop’s influence, as it has seeped into a wide range of musical genres, enriching them with its rhythmic innovations, sampling techniques, and lyrical prowess. The cross-pollination of hip-hop with other genres has not only led to musical experimentation but has also contributed to the evolution of contemporary music as a whole.
Walter Robinson remembers the legendary painter as a (very) young man
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–88) was by most accounts a sweet kid. He had a baby face and a distinctive walk, one foot pigeon-toed, so he was easy to spot from a block away. He was a pussycat – at least the girls said so – soft-spoken and polite. And he liked to draw.
My mother-in-law, an art teacher who still lives on New York’s Upper West Side, had a different opinion about Jean-Michel after he and her son Danny [Danny Rosen], best friends from the alternative City-as-School high school, had an art-making session at her apartment that left a mess of glue on her Oriental rug. She’d asked the boys to clean up and they hadn’t, and the dismissive glance Jean-Michel gave her stuck in her memory.
That adolescent ‘don’t-bother-me’ negligence metamorphosed into an obsessive creative vision. As for the scraps the boys left behind – they no doubt were crafting postcards to sell outside the Museum of Modern Art – she dumped them into a box and later threw the whole lot out. Danny’s big sister Lisa, my wife, lost her Basquiat, too – one the artist had given her as a gift. They were friends from the punk-noir Mudd Club in Tribeca. Lisa decamped in 1982 to Europe, ending up in Rome, where she in turn gave Jean-Michel’s painting to the artist Sandro Chia as a present. She thought she could always get another one.
Danny co-stars with the then-unknown (and homeless) Jean-Michel in Downtown 81, producer and writer Glenn O’Brien’s impressionistic music film. Its narrative arc – two handsome young men wander the city, hang out, go to clubs, smoke, and stay up all night – defines the downtown cultural moment of the time. Shot in 1980–81, the footage vanished into the mist for two decades, its dialogue soundtrack disappearing entirely. The film was found, restored, and officially released in 2001 with Jean-Michel’s voice wild tracked by Saul Williams, adding a special dislocation to a history now inflated into myth.
I first met Jean on the street, when he returned keys to my sometime, henna-headed French girlfriend after sleeping over at her place. Couch surfing was his thing, importuning the pretty girls for places to stay during that sexual idyll of the late 1970s, bookended between the availability of birth control and the advent of HIV/AIDS. He was a night owl, feral, and an artist from the word go, with drive and an already developed idiom. His simple but Expressionistic style – odd considering most boys his age were doing detailed copies of Marvel Comics superheroes – is rooted in graffiti and cartoons, but also arose from visits to the non-European collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The 12-foot-wide 1983 triptych El Gran Espectaculo (The Nile) (1983), recently sold by fashion designer Valentino at Christie’s for USD 67 million, features – amidst its many symbolic references to the Middle Passage and the crossed-out word ‘slave’ – a rendering of a papyrus skiff, clearly the result of Jean-Michel’s visit to the museum’s Egyptian wing.
The year 1980 marked a transition for the New York art world and everyone in it. The 1960s had seen Modernism gorge itself on pop culture, pare itself down to the minimum, and finally dematerialize into an exhausted finale. The 1970s began in a kind of hangover. Everything had been done – what was left to do? One solution was to spread sideways, rhizomatically, rather than progressing ever upward or forward. New York City had barely skirted bankruptcy in 1975, with entire neighborhoods – notably the South Bronx and the Lower East Side – abandoned by landlords and the government. Light manufacturing had departed SoHo and by the 1980s, the area became the art scene’s new wellspring. Its 19th-century cast iron buildings contributed to the new aesthetic thanks to sprawling loft spaces. Jean-Michel adopted a model of art-making that used the detritus of abandoned slum lives rather than industrial castoffs.
He started with street art. Generations of graffiti artists had already taken to painting subway trains – city officials hated it, artists loved it – but with the exception of isolated exhibitions such as the 1975 ‘United Graffiti Artists’ show at Artists Space, graffiti wouldn’t begin penetrating the art market in earnest until Fun Gallery opened several years later. The art world appropriated the term ‘Graffiti art’ for the public interventions of Jean-Michel and Keith Haring, which only remotely resembled the swashbuckling spray-painted tags that had been perfected by kids from the boroughs.
Basquiat’s briefly ubiquitous graffiti tag – ‘SAMO’, in all caps, a riff on ‘same old’ – was sprayed in black on the subway system’s concrete walls and above ground on billboards and plywood boarding in the late 1970s in collaboration with Al Diaz (who carries on the legend today, documenting his work on Instagram). The graffiti was stylized block letters – his ‘E’ was three horizontal lines – and marked with the copyright symbol, an emoji avant la lettre. His short messages cynically mocked the official art scene: ‘SAMO AS A NEO ART FORM’, ‘SAMO AS AN END TO BOOSH-WAH’, and ‘SAMO FOR THE PEA BRAIN SECT’. My wife remembers a more humorous slogan: ‘SAMO PRAY FOR SOUP BUILD A FORT SET IT ON FIRE’.
Despite the satire, Jean-Michel had ambitions to become part of the above-ground art business. In June 1980, he took part in the seminal, artist-organized ‘The Times Square Show’, notably writing ‘FREE SEX’ above the doorway, which was later painted over to avoid trouble in the still-seedy Times Square district. More dramatically, in a punk fashion show featuring artists dressed in thrift shop gear, Jean-Michel stood by with a house painter’s brush and bucket, slapping paint on the models as they went by.
But by February 1981 he’d quickly morphed from street artist to establishment painter, showing at P.S. 1’s ‘New York/New Wave’ exhibition. Black culture in all its forms was Jean-Michel’s central subject, and he can be credited as a harbinger of the Black presence in art that is only now being fully acknowledged. The artist Stephen Torton, Jean-Michel’s studio assistant, describes an almost delirious, mostly nonverbal work method, characterized by abrupt shifts across the canvas and feverish free association, painting on found objects and home-stretched canvases. ‘It was rata-tat-tat,’ says Torton. The art looked immediate and almost easy. In terms of prolific production, Basquiat was a budding Warhol, but with a human touch.
In 1988, Jean-Michel died of an accidental heroin overdose at age 27. He’d created more than 600 paintings and 1,500 drawings; an inspirational tale with a cautionary conclusion. Isn’t that the stuff of classic tragedy? Such talent, such ambition, such luck. In advance of his first major gallery show, at Annina Nosei in SoHo in May 1981, the air was abuzz with anticipation for this kid and his big brash paintings. We could feel it. We thought we had ‘good antennae’, trained to pick up what was new and important. The next year, in summer 1982, Jean-Michel, just 21, went to Italy on the invitation of gallery owner Emilio Mazzoli to produce new works for a solo exhibition. Working feverishly and intuitively as always, Basquiat painted eight canvases. The exhibition never happened, but these works, now called the Modena Paintings, are on view at Fondation Beyeler, together for the first time.
I realize now we were sensing only a rapidly approaching tsunami of fame and fortune, a flood that hasn’t let up for a minute, not even after, especially not after, the artist himself was swept away.
Jean-Michel Basquiat ‘The Modena Paintings’ Fondation Beyeler, Basel Until August 27, 2023
Walter Robinson is an artist and writer based in New York. He cofounded Printed Matter, and with the late critic Edit DeAk edited Art-Rite magazine from 1973 to 1978. He was the editor of artnet.com magazine from 1996 to 2012. As a painter, he is represented by Air de Paris in Paris.
