This is a poetic critique of Carlos Vergara’s work, written by Hélio Oiticica. The review posits questions concerning the history of Brazilian modern art in which Oiticica, referring to Vergara’s pieces, identifies what he calls a work of art’s “decorative quality.” This historic reference evokes an image of Brazil, which can be seen in Vergara’s environmental ideas, and associates them with Andy Warhol’s work. It also suggests another connection by pointing out the differences between Arte Povera on the one hand, and Vergara’s work on the other.    

Carlos [Augusto Caminha] Vergara [dos Santos] (b. 1941) was one of the leading lights of the Nova Objetividade Brasileira movement. In the 1970s he organized “Exposição,” a group exhibition of works by several contemporary artists, and cofounded Malasartes magazine (1975–76) with Ronaldo Brito, Carlos Zílio, and Rubens Gerchman, among others. In addition to these activities, Vergara was constantly involved in discussions, critiques, and a variety of projects in the Brazilian art world. This essay, written by Hélio Oiticica is—in the words of Lygia Pape, another highly vocal artist—a good example of “a new line of aesthetic analysis” because of the writer’s signature style.         

Hélio Oiticica (1937–80) was a Brazilian Neo-Concrete artist. He started studying painting with Ivan Serpa in 1954 at the Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro. He later joined the Grupo Frente and the Neo-Concrete movement. In addition to his geometric paintings, which he worked on while he was studying with Serpa and was a member of the Grupo Frente, Oiticica produced performance and participatory art. His Parangolés (1964)—capes made with fabrics and recycled materials—were worn by the Mangueira Samba School during their performances. Oiticica also created immersive spaces, such as Nucleus (1959–60), which was an installation constructed from suspended painted wooden slats inspired by the Constructivism of Piet Mondrian. In 1967 Oiticica created the immersive environment Tropicália at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro. Tropicália was an installation consisting of rooms with plants and materials such as water, sand and stones, a parrot, a television set, and various other elements that were representative of Brazilian popular culture. The environment was designed to promote sensory stimulation. Oiticica applied the same principles to Eden, the installation he created in 1969 at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. The name Tropicália was used by Brazilian musicians to describe a new style that combined international music and pop with traditional Brazilian music. The term “Tropicália” was absorbed into popular Brazilian culture and came to signify a uniquely Brazilian essence. In 1970 Oiticica took part in the group exhibition Information at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

For more examples of Oiticica’s thoughts on Brazilian art in the late 1960s and early 1970s, see the essay “Esquema geral da nova objetividade” [doc. no. 1110372], and the article “Aparecimento do suprasensorial na arte brasileira” [doc. no. 1110620].