2023-07-19 14:39:57
Paulo Kuczynski’s collection includes names such as Tarsila do Amaral, Alfredo Volpi, Di Cavalcanti, Brecheret and others
The Instituto Tomie Ohtake, through the program “Tomie Ohtake visits”, presents the exhibition “Coleção Imaginária de Paulo Kuczynski”. The second edition of the initiative brings works from private collections such as those by Eliseu Visconti to Adriana Varejão. Curated by Jacopo Crivelli, the exhibition maintains the institute’s objective of seeking to democratize access to works by renowned artists and contribute to the history of Brazilian modern art.
In addition to marchand (a dealer who buys and sells works of art), Paulo Kuczynski is, above all, an art collector since the mid-1960s. marchand: the ability to discover unpublished works of art. With more than 50 years of experience in the art market, his statement is confirmed, especially in view of the large number of pieces never seen before, but which the exhibition now gives us the opportunity to discover.
Mainly centered on the modernist period, the exhibition at Instituto Tomie Ohtake immediately captivates visitors with the works of two pioneering artists: Victor Brecheret and Maria Martins. Brecheret, widely known for his work “Monumento às Bandeiras” (1984), played a key role in the revolution of sculptural language in Brazil as one of the first Brazilian modernist sculptors. Maria Martins, on the other hand, was one of the first Brazilians to stand out in sculpture by challenging social conventions and exploring taboos of her time. While Brecheret developed smooth and organic forms, Martins immersed himself in angular and stylized figures, often emphasizing the erotic and surreal aspects, as is evident in his piece “The impossible” (1945), shown in the exhibition.
Going to the first room on the right, the visitor finds important paintings by Eliseu Visconti, which represent Brazilian impressionism and paved the way for artistic experimentation by subsequent generations. Complementing Brecheret’s sculptures, the room also features works by Antônio Gomide. In an interview with the Art1 channel, Kuczynski draws attention to the similarity between the elongated faces of Brecheret’s sculptures and the features found in Gomide’s paintings: “Brecheret is a sculpted Gomide and Gomide is a painted Brecheret”.
From there, visitors can immerse themselves in the works of renowned artists such as Lasar Segall, Oswaldo Goeldi, Di Cavalcanti, Cândido Portinari, an unprecedented collection by the painter Ismael Nery and many others. The exhibition also features a vast collection by Alfredo Volpi, a fundamental artist in the collector’s collection, including two small but valuable paintings by Tarsila do Amaral: “Landscape with little pigs” (1943) and “Landscape with two little pigs” ( 1929).
The presence of the painting “Seller of Flowers” (1947), by the artist Djanira, whose works, following her death, were excluded from the main narratives of the history of Brazilian art in recent decades is notable. The change was consolidated when MASP (Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo) presented the exhibition “Djanira: the memory of her people”in 2019. Thus evidencing a process of updating in Brazilian art studies within the last few years.
In the second room, located to the left of the exhibition, the focus turns to the concrete and neoconcrete periods of Brazilian modern art. While concretism celebrated objectivity, simplicity and planned compositions, devoid of references or symbols, neoconcretism emerged as a counter-movement that sought to infuse subjectivity into art. Therefore, works such as sculptures by Ione Saldanha are displayed alongside paintings by Alfredo Volpi, inviting a comparison of how the works of the two artists evolved from their first figurative studies. Volpi’s iconic flag compositions resulted from his study of large facades and roof patterns, while Saldanha’s sculptures stemmed from an exploration of urban design.
In this room, Crivelli also creates dialogues between the works “O Antes é oAfter” (1973) by Lygia Clark and “Tudo Consumido” (1964) by Waldemar Cordeiro, whose proposals to transcend the plane are manifested in different ways. In addition, the room houses connections between the works of the artist Di Cavalcanti with the works of the artist Mira Schendel, Arthur Luiz Piza and Antonio Bandeira, reaching the impactful work “Carne Marinha” (1999), by Adriana Varejão.
This interaction between the artists highlights the relevance of their work, since the curatorship is responsible for creating an environment that encourages reflection, promotes dialogue between different styles and ideas, and allows us to appreciate the diversity and richness of artistic expression.
“Perhaps the best key to understanding this imaginary collection and the intelligent look of its creator lies precisely in the immense variety of styles and poetics that allows identifying both personal preferences and a deep understanding of the evolution of national art”, says Crivelli Visconti.
Service:
Exhibition: “Paulo Kuczynski Imaginary Collection”
Curator: Jacopo Crivelli Visconti
Instituto Tomie Ohtake: Rua Coropé, 88 – Pinheiros, São Paulo
Visitation: From May 20 to August 13, 2023 – Free every day.
Larissa Silvaresearcher and independent curator, graduated in Art: History, Criticism and Curatorship from PUC-SP.
Did you like this article? Read too:
Why invest in art?
1690531045
#Instituto #Tomie #Ohtake #presents #panoramic #exhibition #great #modernist #works #private #collection
