Despite the extreme diversity of generations represented at À Flor da Pele, the so-called “Geração 80” was a prominent presence at the event. The exhibition was presented at the Centro Empresarial Rio in 1983 and—aside from its underlying commercial objectives, encouraged by Brazilian art galleries—its aim was to promote a sort of retour à l’ordre; in this case a “return to painting,” a movement that was closely associated with the idea that the perception of pleasure was the goal of an artistic life.
Marcus de Lontra Costa made a name for himself as a critic and curator in the Brazilian art world during that same decade in the movement that enjoyed international support via a number of different art galleries. He was among the critics who gained a measure of fame as a result of their tireless promotion of the Geração ’80, the 80s Generation. The following year (1984) Lontra was one of the organizers of the exhibition Como vai você, Geração 80?
[See other articles by Lontra about the “return to painting” in the ICAA digital archive, as follows: “Cláudio Fonseca: justiça e verdade” (doc. no. 1110941); and “Luiz Áquila: vai passar, vai ficar (a evolução da liberdade e a persistência da memória)” (doc. no. 1110962)].
[On the subject of the Brazilian art market in the 1980s, see the articles by Jorge Guinle Filho “Papai era surfista profissional, mamãe fazia mapa astral legal: ‘Geração 80’ ou como matei uma aula de arte num shopping center” (doc. no. 1110971); by Roberto Pontual Explode Geração (Rio de Janeiro: Avenir, 1984) (doc. no. 1110991); and by Frederico Morais “Gute Nacht Herr Baselitz ou Helio Oiticica onde está você?” (doc. no. 1110957)].
