“Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism” at the Royal Academy showcases Brazilian modernism from 1910 to 1970, featuring 130 works by notable and lesser-known artists. Curated by Adrian Locke, the exhibition promotes Brazil’s cultural diversity and resilience, highlighting the shift from colonial traditions. It reflects the amorphous nature of Brazilian modernism through various artistic expressions.
In November 1944, the Royal Academy of Arts in London showcased Brazilian modernism during World War II, organised by Oswaldo Aranha. The exhibition featured over 150 works and aimed to support the Allied cause. Fast forward 80 years, and Brazilian modernism returns to the Royal Academy with the exhibition “Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism,” focusing on art from 1910 to 1970 without political constraints.
Curated by Adrian Locke in collaboration with Zentrum Paul Klee, this exhibition showcases 130 works by ten Brazilian artists including Tarsila do Amaral and Alfredo Volpi. Locke emphasises the lesser-known artists to highlight their significance in Brazilian art, moving away from colonial-era traditions to reflect Brazil’s diverse identity.
The exhibition’s themes encompass resilience and everyday life, as represented in works like Lasar Segall’s paintings depicting oppression in favelas. Candido Portinari’s “Migrants” portrays rural families searching for better opportunities, while various artists express Brazil’s cultural diversity through modernism.
The show also features avant-garde pieces like Malfatti’s vivid portrait of Oswald de Andrade and Vicente do Rego Monteiro’s works that blend Indigenous cultures with modern aesthetics. Djanira’s pieces highlight syncretic themes in Afro-Brazilian religion, challenging traditional art categorizations.
Artists at the exhibition explore pure abstraction, with Volpi’s geometric patterns and Valentim’s fusion of modernism with Afro-Brazilian traditions. Locke remarks on the amorphous nature of Brazilian modernism, noting it is not a uniform movement but a diverse array reflecting Brazil’s evolving art scene.
The exhibition “Brasil! Brasil!” showcases the evolution of Brazilian modernism from 1910 to 1970, highlighting both renowned and lesser-known artists. It underscores themes of resilience and diversity, moving away from colonial representations to embrace Brazil’s unique identity. The show exemplifies the distinctiveness of Brazilian modernism as an amorphous and varied movement.
Original Source: www.artnews.com