A new exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London this month, the excitedly titled Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, brings together work made between the 1910s and 1970s by ten Brazilian artists, including Tarsila do Amaral, Alfredo Volpi, Djanira and Candido Portinari. The period was one of experimentation as the country’s artists developed their own distinctive type of Modernism amid a backdrop of political upheaval. The show’s assistant curator, Rebecca Bray, has selected the following five key books, available in English, to help anyone get to grips with Brazilian Modernism.
Modernity in Black and White: Art and Image, Race and Identity in Brazil, 1890-1945 (2021) by Rafael Cardoso
“This challenges the dominant narrative of Brazilian Modernism’s origin myth—the 1922 Semana de Arte Moderna—by highlighting earlier, diverse expressions of modernity. The book’s rich critical analysis of race, identity and visual culture provides a comprehensive and nuanced view of Brazilian art and society in the first half of the 20th century.”
Macunaíma (1928) by Mário de Andrade
“The writer and photographer Mário de Andrade was a key voice within Brazilian Modernism. His novel Macunaíma, a cornerstone of Modernist literature, follows a shapeshifting ‘hero’, blending folklore, mythology and social critique to explore Brazilian identity. Katrina Dodson’s recent translation wonderfully captures his playfully inventive use of language and immerses the reader in the atmosphere of heady excitement.”
Transatlantic Encounters (2018) by Michele Greet
“This book is crucial for understanding the participation of Brazilian and other Latin American artists in the avant-garde scene of inter-war Paris. It explores artists’ varying responses to the expectations of primitivism they encountered, challenging Eurocentric narratives. By examining the cultural exchanges and artistic innovations of these artists, Michele Greet provides overdue recognition of their role in shaping a global Modernist art.”
Form and Feeling: The Making of Concretism in Brazil (2021), edited by Antonio Sergio Bessa
“A multi-faceted narrative of Brazil’s abstract Concrete art and the experience-based Neo-Concrete movement that grew out of it. As well as exploring the visual and formal aspects of Concretism, the collection offers fresh perspectives on the movement’s impact on art, poetry and pedagogy, and underscores its influence on contemporary Brazilian culture.”
Today Is Always Yesterday: Contemporary Brazilian Art (2013) by Michael Asbury
“Today is Always Yesterday links Modernism to today in a compelling exploration of contemporary Brazilian art. Michael Asbury examines the historical constructs and cultural myths of Brazil, illustrating how art can both reflect and shape history. The book’s chapters are structured around the colours of the Brazilian flag, offering a unique and insightful perspective.”
• Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 28 January-21 April
