Page 96 - ARTE!Brasileiros #54

ENGLISH VERSION IN THE DEBACLE...

of a man who not only managed to install most , and for what in a way has influenced formed by Murilo (which well exemplifies the
Latin American art in Europe back in the 60´s, and shaped the way I work with artists and desire of the young poet to keep at least part of
and a vision that has had repercussions on that is the way he has build his relationships his friend for himself), it is worth highlighting
generations of artists and thinkers throughout with the artists he has worked with… “I think the transformations he would undergo after
the world, but, who also had a very special way you are absolutely right” he said and added Ismael’s death, these transformations that
of leading his life and his career as a curator, that the reason why he thought that this began during his wake, when Murilo was
historian and art critic. His collaborations with relationships developed strongly were brought to a true mystical ecstasy, having
artists became life friendships, corresponding because “without being critical we must been possessed by Jesus Christ through the
with many of them and keeping them in his admit that all artists can have big egos and spirit of Ismael Nery - an episode narrated by
thoughts, always worrying about keeping up I don´t have a huge one , if I have one at all… Pedro Nava in his memoir, O círio perfeito .
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to date with their work developments, their so, we are never competing and I just admire This experience, which would take the
lives, their health. A man of immeasurable so much what they do that I can only wish then young anarchist Murilo Mendes to
vision, generosity and humility. I have done it myself”. And he added, “you Ismael’s Catholicism, would also have another
In 1973 he made a long trip through Latin know that I live a very ordinary life and that consequence: from the mid-1930s (after the
America that deeply influenced his gaze and my life has very much been my work. But my death of his friend), Murilo fell in love or let
his enthusiasm for exploring the region. In life (in a more personal sense) has been a all his passion for Adalgisa fully emerge. rejects
1977 he held the exhibition “We want People experience where artists, specially brazilian him several times.
to know the Truth” Patchwork pictures from artists, had acompany me all the way”. These few data seem to me of sufficient
Chile, sponsored by the Arts Council that toured The days following his death were interest for a biographical study of Mendes,
until 1978 through different cities in the UK. overwhelming, the countless Instagram from a psychoanalytical point of view. After
This exhibition showed arpilleras made by and Facebook posts from artists who all, if at first he wants to retain his friend for
women who told their stories during the Chilean knew him, colleagues, press publications, the preservation of the works he threw away,
military dictatorship through their patchworks especially in Brazil, were undoubtedly a rain with his death the poet (after the process of
drawings made on pieces of flour sacks. His of demonstrations of love, affection, respect, possession at the wake) seems to have become
interest in exploring various artistic forms of recognition and friendship. Exactly how Guy his own friend, assuming his religion, his
expression led him in 1986 to publish Through would have liked to be remembered, the aesthetic preferences (as will still be mentioned
Our Own Eyes: Popular Art and Modern History human and lovable character. A few years ago I here) and the widow.
where he highlights how the need for artistic reminded him of his Godfather of latinamerican But, in spite of all the interest in this story,
expression naturally emerges in social groups art title, he smiled and rolled his eyes “thats in my view, it is not the only importance of this
when they are under repression or catastrophic the last thing I would like to be thought of”, friendship that this year celebrates 100 years
events. A book that Lucy Lippard defines above he said and I absolutely knew what he meant. since its beginning. Although it has not been
all as a necessary book and suggests that “Brett studied much until today, it is known that Ismael
sensitive analysis should open up a whole new ColUMn | ConvERSA dE BAR(R) [PAgES 70 to 73] Nery held several meetings in her home, where
direction for those frustrated by the isolation she developed her rhetorical talents, lecturing
of high art in their own contexts “ A CENTENARY BEING on philosophy, religion, aesthetics, etc., having
In 1990 at Ikon Gallery, Birmingham he held as listeners a group formed by friends who later
the show Transcontinental: Nine Latin American IGNORED they would become references for the country’s
Artists, which was very important to him as art and culture: Murilo Mendes himself, but
he felt that it was the best exhibition he had A look at the friendship between Ismael also Jorge Burlamaqui, Mário Pedrosa, Antonio
done during his career. Circa 1967-68 he hung Nery and Murilo Mendes, started in 1921, Bento, Alberto da Veiga Guignard and Jorge
Helio Oiticica’s parangolés from the lamps in shows that there is still a lot to study and de Lima, among others.
his small apartment in Soho and arranged write about the particular development of It was during these meetings that Ismael
other works on tables and shelves, inviting surrealism in Brazil Nery had the opportunity to explain his
a number of exhibition space directors to philosophical postulates, which, in the
have a drink to secure an exhibition for Helio By tAdEU ChiARElli sequence, were recorded by his “disciples”
Oiticica since Signals, the iconic gallery run Mendes and Burlamaqui. It is within these
by David Medalla and Paul Keeler and of which while sCholars anD researChers postulates that an original and, at the same
Guy was the co-editor of their newsbulletin, are preparing for the series of events that, time, bizarre connection between surrealist
had closed. That exhibition ended up being starting this year, commemorate the centenary aesthetics and Catholicism is perceived, a
the iconic Whitechapel Experiment, 1969 at celebrations of the Week of Modern Art, which proposition that already had its first deepening
Whitechapel Gallery, London. took place in São Paulo in February 1922, the in Thiago Gil Virava’s book Uma brecha para
Before his diagnosis of Parkinsons desease celebrations of another centenary has being o surrealismo .
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he was hoping to get 2013 as a sabatical to ignored, another event (if we can call it that) By combining his essentialist/catholic
get his archive in order, do a bit of travelling also fundamental for art and culture in the speculation with surrealism, marked by
and to come to a new stage. After many years country, which took place in Rio de Janeiro surrealism, Nery will develop a poetics in
being in some way the spokesperson for Helio in 1921: the meeting and the beginning of the which the concept of surrealist beauty - “the
Oiticica and Lygia Clark he had a great desire relationship between the artist Ismael Nery fortuitous encounter of an umbrella and a
to get closer to the generations of young and the poet Murilo Mendes. sewing machine on an operating table”, by
artists in Brazil. In 2012 he had his first foray This deep friendship that united them until Lautréamont - would gain a mystical dimension,
into Sao Paulo to see young artists visiting 1934, the year of Ismael’s death, is of interest a fact that makes it unique within the general
Paulo Nazareth’s exhibition at Mendes Wood to everyone in Brazil and in several aspects. framework of Brazilian art.
gallery, a work that managed to awaken that Among them, it should be noted the strong A data of interest is that the articulation
“curiosity” that was vital for him and made him libidinal burden that involved the two friends between certain surrealist postulates linked to
feel enthusiastic to continue discovering. and that made, for example, Murilo Mendes “catholic” essentialism will also be noticeable
After his diagnosis and anticipating the become the first great collector of works of in Murilo Mendes’ poetic production. However,
amount of active time he would have ahead the friend, the one who - as Adalgisa Nery, to this poetry, marked by the teachings of
his plans changed and he focused on two big wife of the painter - recalled - rescued from the friendly artist, Mendes will link a peculiar
projects: Curating the Takis show in Tate Modern the garbage the production that Ismael threw prosaism that, likewise, will singularize his
together with Michael Wellen and getting the away, recovered his physical integrity and poetic production in the universe of Brazilian
publication of a selection of his essays through, cataloged it. lyric.
titled The Crossing of Innumerable Paths On the other hand, it is known that this This connection between the practices of
published by Ridinghouse in London. Luckily, collection, still with the painter alive, gradually Nery and Mendes with the assumptions of
both projects were completed before a period became one of the only and most important “Catholic” surrealism will gain ramifications
of more radical deterioration in health. collections of modern art in the former Federal after the death of the painter. If his “presence”
How would you like to be remebered for Capital, a collection that allowed several is visible in the pictorial production of the
Guy?, I asked… after a moment of thought intellectuals - among them the then young young Guignard (and will still be present in
with both of his hands on his forehead he Mário de Andrade - get in touch with the work his photo-collages in the 1940s and 1950s) ,
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said “thats a difficult question, Alexia, I have of Ismael. it is impossible not to notice how he is also
actually never thought about it” I said that I In addition to the importance of more specific present in the work that the poet and painter
would remember him for what I admire him studies on this collection of works by Ismael Jorge de Lima will produce in the mid-1930s.
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