In this essay, written in a critical-poetic style, Hélio Oiticica examines the connections between words and objects in Rubens Gerchman’s work, and calls them “objeto-ideograma” [object-ideogram]. These works seek to hold a dialogue about questions that were once raised by neo-Concrete art, which compared the “non-object” with the idea of an “open work.” Oiticica goes on to point out the relationships created between the words and materials that Gerchman uses to break up the body of the word and make way for the emergence of the “letter-object.” In Oiticica’s opinion, Gerchman avoids submitting to the image—which is still a very important issue in Brazil—a process involving the dissection of the verbal visual language that is the flip side of the image.   

Rubens Gerchman (1942–2008) was a major figure in Brazilian art beginning in the 1960s; he took part in landmark exhibitions such as Opinião 65 and Opinião 66, and Nova Objetividade Brasileira in 1967. He was a co-publisher of Malasartes, the art magazine that was widely read among the 1970s generation; he also spent some time as the director of the Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage, which was undoubtedly responsible for upgrading the teaching of art in Brazil. Oiticica does not refer to any specific exhibition of Gerchman’s work; he does, however, demonstrate a type of alternative writing to be used for art criticism.   

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.

There are some complementary texts to this document, including critical essays about Opinião 65 written by Ferreira Gullar [see doc. no. 1090530] and Cérés Franco [doc. no. 1090499], who also wrote about the following year’s event, Opinião 66, where the concepts of “precariousness or scarcity” and “anti-art” were discussed [doc. no. 1110375]. Regarding Nova Objetividade Brasileira, the 1967 event, see the essay by Oiticica “Esquema geral da nova objetividade” [doc. no. 1110372]. (1)