This essay analyzes certain characteristics inherent in the selection of foreign artists for participation in the twentieth International Biennial of São Paulo in 1989, highlighting the preponderance of retrospectives. To the writer Lorenzo Mammì, the key question regarding the main non-Brazilian works is the link between those recognized in the 1980s and those previously established in the 1960s and 1970s. He starts out focusing on the French artists selected for the event—Klein, Semeraro, and Jacquet—commenting on the void left in French art by Klein’s death and the middling work created by the other two. Mammì goes on to explore the analogies and tensions set up by another three selected: United States artist M. Puryear and German artists U. Ruckriem and Joseph Beuys. The first two work with themes that are highly important to Beuys, while Ruckriem also reflects the Minimalists and R. Long. The writer comments on other 1960s trends that are also represented at the event, such as R. Hamilton, whom he negatively compares to Andy Warhol, and D. Hockney, who is also no favorite of the critic. Finally, Mammì considers the value of the work of Neil Williams, in which he perceives a relationship that has more to do with cannibalism than a dialogue with the past. This artist’s work typifies what the critic deems an excessive use of appropriation typical of the 1980s.

This is a critical assessment of the foreign presence at the twentieth International Biennial of São Paulo by the critic and professor Lorenzo Mammì. The writer comments on work by French, German, English, and United States artists, which would have a major impact on Brazilian artists in the 1990s. The text allows us to see the links between the works at the twentieth São Paulo biennial and the repercussions on the work produced in Brazil. It brings to light the high degree of circulation achieved by art created in the international sphere after the groundbreaking decade of the 1960s.  

Lorenzo Mammì earned his master’s degree in Florence, Italy (Materie Letterarie della Università degli Studi di Firenze, 1984) and his doctorate in philosophy in Brazil at the Universidade de São Paulo in 1998 (USP). He is currently a professor at the same institution. Although his experience was primarily in the arts (especially music), he works in other specialties such as contemporary art and patristic philosophy. As a curator, he distinguished himself with his approach to coordinating the project Arte Concreta Paulista and for curating the exhibition Concreta ‘56 (Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, 2006). He has also published various books: Volpi (São Paulo: Cosac Naify, 1999), Carlito Carvalhosa (São Paulo: Cosac Naify, 2000), and Iole de Freitas: Sobrevôo, as well as organizing an anthology of texts (São Paulo: Cosac Naify, 1999, 2000, and 2002).

As background for a reading of Mammì, there are texts on the two prior biennials written by the curator of the events, Sheila Leirner: her “Introdução” to the eighteenth biennial in 1985 [doc. no. 1111107], and her other “Introdução” to the nineteenth biennial in 1987 [doc. no. 1110910].