This eighth issue of Nervo Óptico begins with an epigraph by the Brazilian art critic Mário Pedrosa, and a statement said to be collectively written by the Grupo N.O. This issue presents works exhibited in São Paulo, at the Galeria Eucatexpo. Pedrosa’s text says: “It is in the art world where all art and related activity may find a moment crucial to its integration: that is, a time when its full creation can unfold in the social context.” Following this epigraph, the short text written by Nervo Óptico points out the objectives of the publication. The group understands it as “one of the agents to stimulate contemplation about contemporary thinking, which is part of the process that transforms a culture (…). This handbill gives us a chance to reduce the isolation of the work partially caused by the artist’s own habits, but also due to the established structure of the media and circuits for its dissemination and distribution, both removed from everyday life.”

Under the epigraph “Publication open to the dissemination of new visual poetics,” Nervo Óptico was published monthly in Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul) for a total of 13 issues (from April 1977 to September 1978). The journal was created by a group of artists who identified themselves with the journal’s initials, N.O. The participants in Nervo Óptico included Vera Chaves Barcellos (b. 1938), Carlos Asp (b. 1949), Carlos Pasquetti (b. 1948), Clovis Dariano (b. 1950), Jesús Escobar (b. 1956), Flávio Pons (b. 1947), Mara Alvares (b. 1948), Romanita Martins (b. 1940) and Telmo Lanes (b. 1955).

This eighth issue of the journal Nervo Óptico includes the works Diálogos silenciosos by Pasquetti, Paisagem sobre a paisagem by Dariano, Adansonia II by Álvares, Ciclo by Chaves Barcellos, Modado by Lanes and Passagens através by Asp.

The publication was created in the form of a small plaque, printed on only one side of the sheet (32 cm x 22.05cm), with an average run of 2,000 copies. Circulated nationally and internationally, Nervo Óptico was sent out to a broad mailing of artists, journalists and art critics.

The content of Nervo Óptico was basically visual, reproducing works by the group or invited artists, almost all including the language of photography, whether as artwork in itself or as photographic documentation of performances. The publication created a space for debate about contemporary art events far from the values that prevailed in the art market and the demand for collectible objects. Nervo Óptico focused on conceptual art, thus creating its own instrument of legitimation.

All 13 issues of the Porto Alegre publication Nervo Óptico are available in the ICAA digital archive.

For a description of the works in the group’s first exhibition and other artists’ testimony on the semiotic intentions of its work, see “[Em manifestaçao realizada em dezembro último...]” by the Grupo N.O. [doc. no. 1110913]. In addition, regarding the group’s thinking about the artist’s role and creative potential beyond market conditions, see the document distributed during the exhibition entitled “Manifesto” [doc. no. 1110690]. The second issue of this Rio Grande do Sul journal presented work by Mara Álvares [doc. no. 1110914]; the third issue, work by Carlos Asp [doc. no. 1110915]; the fourth showed work by Carlos Pasquetti [doc. no. 1110916]; the fifth issue highlighted the radical approach of Telmo Lanes [doc. no. 1110917]; the sixth issue brought us the photographic work of Clovis Dariano [doc. no. 1110918]; and the seventh issue featured the work “Regarding the Smile” by the artist Vera Chaves Barcellos [doc. no. 1110919].