Biographies

Roberto Burle Marx
Breddning av stranden Flamengo – Praca Salgado Filho, 1957
© Roberto Burle Marx

Roberto Burle Marx (1909–1994)
Roberto Burle Marx was a landscape artist, architect, sketch artist, painter, engraver, lithographer, sculptor, tapestry artist, ceramic artist, jewellery designer and decorator. He studied painting and architecture at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (Brazilian National School of Fine Arts) in Rio de Janeiro between 1930 and 1934. In 1932, his first garden project was completed in Rio de Janeiro for the Schwartz family residence, which was designed by the architects Lúcio Costa and Gregori Warchavchic. In 1937 he worked on the garden terrace of the Ministry of Education and Health (MEC) building. In 1954 he collaborated in the landscaping of Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo. Between 1954 and 1959, he developed the landscape design for the Flamengo Landfill in Rio de Janeiro. He also completed other important landscape projects in Latin America, Europe and the United States.

Sergio Camargo (1930–1990)

Sergio Camargo was a sculptor who began his education in arts at the age of 16 at the Altamira Academy in Buenos Aires, under the guidance of Emilio Pettoruti and Lucio Fontana. In 1948 he travelled to Europe, where he was exposed to the work of sculptors Constantin Brancusi, Hans Arp and Georges Vatongerloo. In France he attended a philosophy course at the Sorbonne, and studied under Gaston Bachelard. In 1953 he returned to Brazil and the following year he exhibited at the Salão Nacional de Arte Moderna (Brazilian National Salon of Modern Art) in Rio de Janeiro. Later in 1954 he completed his first figurative bronze sculptures. In 1963 he completed the first pieces of the series Relevos (Reliefs), using cylinders of wood. In the mid-1960s he began working in marble. He returned to Rio de Janeiro in 1974. He completed several works for public spaces, among these the structural wall for the Ministry of Foreign Relations Palace in Brasília and the Homage to Brancusi column for the College of Medicine in Bordeaux, France. In 1963, he received the International Award for Sculpture at the Paris Biennial. He participated in the 33rd and 41st Venice Biennales and the 3rd, 4th, 8th and 15th São Paulo Biennials.

Aluísio Carvão
Concreto, 1960
© Aluísio Carvão

Aluísio Carvão (1918–2001)

Aluísio Carvão was a painter, illustrator and stage designer. In 1952 he enrolled at Ivan Serpa’s painting course at the MAM/RJ. He joined the Frente Group in 1953. In the same year he participated in the 1st National Exhibition of Abstract Art and from 1957 to 1959 in the 1st National Exhibition of Concrete Art in São Paulo and in Rio de Janeiro, respectively. Between 1957 and 1959 he substituted for Ivan Serpa on the painting course at MAM/RJ. In 1959 he signed the Neo-Concrete Manifesto and participated in the group’s exhibitions in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. He also participated in the Konkrete Kunst exhibition in Zurich in 1960. In the same year he received the Travel Abroad Award at the National Salon of Modern Art and attended the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Ulm, as a visiting artist. He participated in the 1st, 9th and 17th São Paulo Biennials.

Amilcar de Castro
Suplemento Dominical do Jornal do Brasil, 1959.

Amilcar de Castro (1920–2002)

In 1944, Amilcar de Castro began to study drawing and painting at the Guignard School, and sculpture under Franz Weissmann. In 1953 he launched his career as a graphic designer. His first constructive sculpture, selected for the 2nd São Paulo Biennial in 1953, reveals a strong influence of Max Bill. In 1957, he participated of the 1st National Exhibition of Concrete Art in Rio de Janeiro, and in the same year he started the graphic renewal project of Jornal do Brasil, which he concluded in 1959. He signed the Neo-Concrete Manifesto and participated in the Rio artists’ group exhibitions in 1959 and 1960. He also took part in the Konkrete Kunst exhibition in Zurich in 1960. In 1967 he received a scholarship from the Guggenheim Foundation, awarded for a two-year period, from 1968 to 1969. During the 1970s and 1980s, he taught composition, sculpture, drawing and theory of form at the Fine Arts School of the Federal University of Minas Gerais. He participated in the 6th, 8th, 19th and 20th São Paulo Biennials.

Lygia Clark
Modulerad yta nr 20, 1956
© Lygia Clark

Lygia Clark (1920–1988)

Lygia Clark started her artistic studies in 1947, under the guidance of Burle Marx. In 1950 she went to Europe and settled in Paris, where she studied under Léger. After her first solo exhibition at the Endoplastique Institute of Paris in 1952, she returned to Brazil. In the same year, she exhibited her abstract paintings at the Education and Culture Ministry in Rio de Janeiro. In 1953 she participated in the 1st National Exhibition of Abstract Art, and, in close contact with Ivan Serpa, she joined the Frente Group. She participated in both editions of the 1st National Exhibition of Concrete Art in 1956 and 1957. She also participated in the Konkrete Kunst exhibition in Zurich in 1960 and in the 30th, 31st and 34th Venice Biennales in 1960, 1962 and 1968. In 1965 she took part in the 2nd Pilot Exhibition of Kinetic Art in London. In 1970 she moved to Paris and in 1975 she taught experimental art at the Paris University. She participated in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th and 12th São Paulo Biennials.

Lucio Costa (1902–1998)

Lucio Costa was an architect, urbanist and essayist. Born in Toulon, France, he received his first education in Europe. In 1916 he returned with his family to Brazil and in 1917 he enrolled at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (Brazilian National School for Fine Arts), graduating with a degree in Architecture in 1924. In 1930 and 1931, he was the director of the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes. In 1936 he coordinated the group of Brazilian artists that developed the Ministry of Education and Health (MEC) project, based on a draft by Le Corbusier, a landmark of Brazilian modern architecture. In 1957 he won the contest for the Brasília Pilot Plan, the future capital of Brazil, where he worked in partnership with Oscar Niemeyer. In 1969 he completed the Urbanization Plan for Barra da Tiguca in Rio de Janeiro.

Milton Dacosta
Em triângulo rosa, 1954/57
© Milton Dacosta

Milton Dacosta (1915–1988)

Milton Dacosta was a painter, sketch artist, engraver and illustrator. He began studying drawing and painting in 1929. His first solo exhibition was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1936. In the same year, he received an honourable mention from the Salão Nacional de Belas Artes (Brazilian National Salon of Fine Arts). He travelled to the United States in 1945, with the award for travel abroad offered by the Salão Nacional de Belas Artes the previous year. In New York, he studied at the Art Students League of New York. In 1946 he went to Paris, where he studied at the Académie de La Grande Chaumière. He exhibited his work at the Salon d’Automne and returned to Brazil in 1947. He participated in the 25th Venice Biennale in 1951 and in the 1st, 4th and 6th São Paulo Biennials.

Marcel Gautherot, Affonso Eduardo Reidys Pedregulho, Rio de Janeiro, ca 1951. S/v fotografi. Marcel Gautherot/Acervo Istituto Moreira Salles.

Marcel Gautherot (1910–1996)

Born in France, Marcel Gautherot worked as an apprentice in a school run by a professor of architecture, and studied architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. In 1938 he worked as an interior architect, and was part of the team that founded the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, organising exhibitions and cataloguing the museum collection. He then began to dedicate himself to photography. Returning to Paris, he became interested in photography and anthropology, setting aside architecture. In 1940 he returned to Brazil. As a photographer, he collaborated with the Directory of Historic and Artistic Patrimony and the Cultural Division of the Ministry of Foreign Relations. He documented the diverse aspects of Brazilian life, from Rio Grande do Sul to Amazonas, from the historic cities of Minas Gerais State to modern architecture.

José Lino Grünewald
Poemas Concretos/ Neoconcretos, 1957-1958
© José Lino Grünewald

José Lino Grünewald (1931–2000)

José Lino Grünewald was a poet, journalist and translator, who wrote about music, visual arts and literature. In 1953 he graduated in Law at the Faculdade Nacional (National University). He collaborated on the Sunday Supplement of the Jornal do Brasil newspaper. He was a member of the Concrete poetry movement. In 1958 he published his first book of poetry called Um e Dois (One and Two).

Ferreira Gullar (b. 1930)

A poet, essayist and art critic, Ferreira Gullar moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1951 and worked as a text reviewer. In 1955 he joined the team that developed the Sunday Supplement of the Jornal do Brasil. In 1956 he participated in the 1st National Exhibition of Concrete Art at the MAM/SP, and in 1957 at MAM/RJ. In 1958 he published his book Poems. In the following year he wrote the Neo-Concrete Manifesto and the Theory of the Non-Object, published in conjunction with the 1st Neo-Concrete Exhibition. He is the author of numerous poetry books.

Rubem Ludolf (b. 1932)

In 1955, Rubem Ludolf graduated in architecture from the University of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. He was a student on Ivan Serpa’s painting course at the MAM/RJ and joined the Frente Group. He participated in both editions of the 1st National Exhibition of Concrete Art at the MAM/SP in 1956 and in 1957 at MAM/RJ. He presented his work at the Paris Biennial in 1961. From 1954 to 1990 he worked as an architect mostly dedicated to landscape projects.

Aloísio Magalhães
Skylt till Rio de Janerios 400-årsjubileum, 1964
© Aloísio Magalhães

Aloísio Magalhães (1927–1982)

Aloísio Magalhães graduated in Law at the University of Recife, Pernambuco. From 1946 to 1951 he worked as a stage designer. In 1951 he was awarded a scholarship from the French government and for two years attended the engraver S. W. Hayter’s Atelier 17, as well as classes in Museology at the Louvre’s School in Paris. In 1960 he founded a visual arts office in Rio de Janeiro. In 1963 he collaborated in the organization of the School of Industrial Design. In 1968 he represented Brazil at the 1st International Biennial of Industrial Design, which was held at MAM/RJ. He was also a teacher of stage design at the Theatre Course at the School of Fine Arts of the University of Recife, and honorary professor at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art.

Oscar Niemeyer is an architect and urbanist. He graduated in Architecture at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (Brazilian National School of Fine Arts) in Rio de Janeiro in 1934. He was an intern at the offices of architect and urbanist, Lucio Costa until 1935. In 1936 he was an integral member of the commission charged with developing the design for the new headquarters of the Ministry of Education and Health (MEC) in Rio de Janeiro, under the supervision of the Swiss architect Le Corbusier. In 1947 he was invited by the United Nations (UN) to participate in the commission of architects charged with designing its new headquarters in New York. In 1956 Juscelino Kubitschek, then president of the Brazilian Republic, invited Niemeyer to design the public buildings of Brasília, the future capital of Brazil. From 1960 onwards, he undertook projects in Beirut, Paris, Tel Aviv and Algiers. In 1991 he designed the Museum of Contemporary Art in Niterói (MAC-Niterói), erected on the shores of Guanabara Bay.

Hélio Oiticica studied painting under Ivan Serpa at the MAM/RJ. From 1955, he participated in the exhibitions of the Frente Group. In 1956, he participated in the 1st National Exhibition of Concrete Art at the MAM/SP and in 1957 at the MAM/RJ. In 1960 took part in the Konkrete Kunst exhibition in Zurich. He created his first environment project in 1961. In 1967 he presented his Penetrables PN2 and PN3, named Tropicália. In 1969 he held a solo exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. During this period he developed environment proposals as a resident artist at Sussex University in Brighton. In 1970 he participated in the Information exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and was awarded a Guggenheim Foundation scholarship. In 1971 he held a solo exhibition at the Rhode Island University. He participated in the 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 14th and 22nd São Paulo Biennials.

In 1953, Lygia Pape participated in the 1st National Exhibition of Abstract Art. In 1953 she exhibited her woodcuts Tecelares with the Frente Group at MAM/RJ. In 1956 she participated in the 1st National Exhibition of Concrete Art at the MAM/SP, and a year later at the MAM/RJ. In 1959, at the 1st Neo-Concrete Exhibition, she presented the Neo-Concrete Ballet and the Book of Creation. In 1960, she participated in the Konkrete Kunst exhibition in Zurich. In 1980, she received a Guggenheim Foundation scholarship. She taught at the School of Fine Arts of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. She participated in the 3rd, 4th and 5th São Paulo Biennials.

Sergio Rodrigues (b. 1927)

Sergio Rodrigues is a furniture designer and architect. At the age of 20, he entered the Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade do Brasil (College of Architecture at the University of Brazil). In 1955 he built the Oca, comprised of a store, gallery, and studio. In 1957 he created the Poltrona Mole (Soft Armchair), which won first prize at the International Furniture Contest, in Cantù, Italy in 1961. The statement of the jury – a member of which was the Danish designer Arne Jacobsen – read, “Only model with current characteristics, despite the structure with conventional treatment, not influenced by fads and absolutely representative of the region of origin.” He designed furniture for several public buildings in Brasília. In 1974, the Poltrona Mole entered the design collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

Between 1947 and 1951, Ivan Serpa participated in the Modern Division at the 52nd, 53rd, 54th, 55th and 56th National Salons of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro. In 1952, he directed courses in children’s art at the MAM/RJ. In the same year, he exhibited his work at the 26th Venice Biennale. In 1953 he founded the Frente Group and published the book Growth and Creation with a text by Mario Pedrosa. In 1954 he participated in the 1st Exhibition of the Frente Group. In 1957 he participated in the 1st National Exhibition of Concrete Art at the MAM/RJ. Also in 1957, he received the Travel Abroad Award at the 6th National Salon of Modern Art and spent two years in Europe. In 1965 he held a retrospective exhibition at the MAM/RJ. He participated in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 12th, 15th, 17th and 20th São Paulo Biennials.

Born in Austria, Franz Weissmann moved to Brazil in 1924. In 1939 he began his studies in arts and architecture at the Fine Arts School of Rio de Janeiro. From 1948 to 1956 he taught moulding and sculpture at the School of the Park in Belo Horizonte. Although living in Belo Horizonte, he participated in the Frente Group as of 1955. He participated in the group’s exhibition at MAM/RJ in 1956. In 1956 he received the Travel Abroad Award at the National Salon of Modern Art. In 1959 he signed the Neo-Concrete Manifesto and participated in the Konkrete Kunst exhibition in Zurich. He lived in Europe from 1960 to 1965. He participated in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th (Sculpture Award), 8th, 9th and 19th São Paulo Biennials. In 1972, he participated in the Venice Biennale.