Documents of Latin American and Latino Art

In this humorous parabolic text, León Ferrari compares art to a “very lovely woman” who deserves to enjoy the unabated pleasures of orgiastic sex rather than be courted by polite “gentlemen” or worshipped by [...]

This is a written testimony in poetic prose by the Argentinean artist León Ferrari, in which he describes the first of a series of calligraphic works that may be seen either as texts or drawings. He mentions the countless number of copies, tying [...]

León Ferrari'’s (1920–2013) letter responds to the concepts expressed by Ernesto Ramallo in the article "Los artistas argentinos en el Premio Di Tella 1965" [The Argentinean artists in the 1965 Di Tella Institute Prize] published in La Prensa [...]

León Ferrari’s response to the summons to side against the 1971 São Paulo Biennial. This artist responds by mentioning the fact that, if invited, he would have refused to take part in the Brazilian biennial, for this event is a piece of the [...]

León Ferrari’s letter states that, after he exhibited some works whose content condemned the United States intervention in Vietnam, the newspaper La Prensa [The Press] accused him of being “communist.” Consequently he wrote his response that [...]

This letter by León Ferrari responds to the concepts raised by Ernesto Ramallo in the article “Los artistas argentinos en el Premio Di Tella 1965” [The Argentinean Artists in the Premio Di Tella 1965] published in the newspaper La Prensa [The [...]

León Ferrari writes a detailed evaluation of Tucumán Arde [Tucumán is Burning], framing it within the previous events (Itinerario del ’68) [Timetable for 1968]. In it he points out that “its purpose was to make art into a revolutionary tool, [...]

In this text León Ferrari (1920–2013) claims responsibility for three occurrences in 1968: the meeting between artists who had been linked to political art for some time with others who had just begun working in this trend; the breakup of the [...]

This text was presented by León Ferrari (1920–2013) for discussion at the Primer Encuentro Nacional del Arte de Vanguardia [First National Conference of Vanguard Art] (Rosario, Argentina, 1968); it proposed what he called an “arte [...]

León Ferrari writes about his situation in exile in Sao Paulo, discussing in depth how he and his family escaped from Buenos Aires, and the early stages of their life in Brazil. He refers to his works in process, his writings, and his wire [...]

León Ferrari writes about his trip to Mexico City, his reaction to the culture, and his encounters with other Argentines living there in exile. Ferrari discusses a technique he developed using blue prints and photocopies [...]

León Ferrari talks about traveling from São Paulo to Buenos Aires to find out what had happened to his son, who had disappeared. This was also the occasion of his first contact with the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. Ferrari mentions the artists he [...]

León Ferrari contributes drawings to Punto de Vista magazine. Ferrari discusses his political views, and replies to María Teresa Gramuglio’s critique of the relationship between religion, art, and repression, reaffirming both his ideas and the [...]

León Ferrari contributes drawings to Punto de Vista magazine. Ferrari discusses his work on the subject of religion, and mentions the founding of the Heathen’s Club [...]

León Ferrari writes to Leopoldo Maler about sending a copy of his book, Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words] and about a possible stage version to be produced in England. He refers to the increasing politicization of Argentine artists, and [...]

León Ferrari writes to Leopoldo Maler about the London stage production of his book, Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words].  He agrees to the new title of the English version, Listen Here Now, while proposing that it include the word “Vietnam [...]

León Ferrari writes to Leopoldo Maler about Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words], telling him where he has sent the book and mentioning that Inda Ledesma might produce a stage version in Buenos Aires. Ferrari comments on the repression of [...]

León Ferrari writes to Leopoldo Maler about Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words], to discuss the staging of the London production and to critique European culture. He talks about the presentation of Tucumán Arde at the Rosario and Buenos Aires [...]

León Ferrari writes to Leopoldo Maler about the London stage production of Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words]. He discusses the polyphonic work involving the various texts in the book, and talks about the economic situation and the student [...]

León Ferrari writes to Leopoldo Maler about the London stage production of Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words]. He discusses the polyphonic work involving the various texts in the book, and talks about the staging, the visual elements, the [...]

León Ferrari writes to Leopoldo Maler about the London stage production of Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words]. He discusses the polyphonic work involving the various texts in the book, mentions sending original English copies, and refers to [...]

León Ferrari writes to Leopoldo Maler about the London stage production of Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words]. He refers to the polyphonic work involving the various texts in the book, and mentions that he has sent a copy to Mario Vargas Llosa [...]

León Ferrari writes to Leopoldo Maler about the London stage production of his book, Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words]. He asks about the translation, the staging, and the rights, and mentions personal and institutional contacts that would be [...]

León Ferrari wrote about his situation in exile, particularly the escape from Buenos Aires with his family, and the beginning of his artistic life in Brazil. He wrote about the works he was creating, the writings and the wire sculptures [...]

León Ferrari discusses certain aspects of the press coverage of his book, Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words]. He writes about the artistic milieu and the controversy stirred up by artists in response to the Torcuato Di Tella Institute’s [...]

León Ferrari explains the method he used to develop the text based on reports from the news media. He discusses his ideas for staging the work [...]

León Ferrari writes a poetic text about his work, formulated on the tradition of surrealist writing stemming from associations. He mentions his linear drawings, wire sculptures, the reproducibility of the multiplied image of an unfinished work in [...]

León Ferrari writes poetically about art and religion in terms of his own artistic goals: the appropriation of the works of the old Masters, a repression of sexuality, and eroticism that is ignored by the Catholic Church [...]

León Ferrari exhibits his work in Brazil, explaining the technical side of the instrument as well as the theoretical aspects of visual, auditory, and tactile relationships. He ponders some possibilities of expression in the curved lines of space, [...]

León Ferrari presents his sonorous sculpture Percanta, with technical explanations about the instrument, the title of the work, and non-figurative music. His mention of the use of the inverted pendulum in a series of sculptures formed with steel [...]

León Ferrari composes a poetic description of his method of working: from the line on the plane of the paper through its development in space [...]

León Ferrari writes a poetic text in which he describes his working method, beginning from making a line on paper through its conceptual development in space [...]

Exhibition catalogue of the artist León Ferrari at Galeria Van Riel, in Buenos Aires. It presents wood carving and wire sculptures. The catalogue includes a checklist [...]

The catalogue for León Ferrari’s exhibition, including biographical information [...]

This is the catalogue for León Ferrari’s first exhibition in Italy, where he presented 50 of his pieces. He is described here as an Argentine ceramic artist [...]

The catalogue for the artist’s exhibition in Milan, illustrated with photographs of his wood pieces and wire sculptures [...]

The catalogue from the second exhibition of works by León Ferrari in Argentina [...]

Catalogue of the first exhibition of the artist León Ferrari in Argentina [...]

León Ferrari writes in repudiation of the São Paulo Biennial, in protest of political repression in Brazil, and as a first stage in his rebuttal of biennials, as well as North American grants and foundations. Ferrari denounces the complicity of the [...]

León Ferrari discusses one of the works he produced in 1964, as he prepares his collection for the exhibition at Galería Lirolay in Buenos Aires [...]

León Ferrari records his thoughts on the visual aspects of projects he will soon be working on, specifically the writings and the boxes. He defines concepts regarding what is visible and what is ambiguous [...]

León Ferrari notes that he has not produced any other works since the Torcuato Di Tella Institute’s 1965 National and International Prize. Ferrari explains that he has been busy working on his book, Palabras ajenas [Other People’s Words], which [...]

León Ferrari sketches his idea for the Christ mounted on a fighter jet for the piece he submitted to the Torcuato Di Tella Institute’s 1965 National and International Prize. This work would be known as Civilización Occidental y Cristiana [Western [...]

León Ferrari prepares a sketch to send to theTorcuato Di Tella Institute’s 1965 National and International Prize [...]

León Ferrari outlines his involvement in the Braque Drawing Prize and develops several sketches to be sent to the Torcuato Di Tella Institute’s 1965 National and International Prize [...]

In his notebook, León Ferrari reviews his performance in 1964, and announces that he has completed the projects he had been working on since 1962. Ferrari also mentions that in 1964 he worked with bottles, writings, and wire structures [...]

León Ferrari reviews his life in 1962, referring to highlights such as his trip to Europe, the development of his “musical pieces” – a series of drawings in which the lines are arranged as one would a musical score, and his sales for the year [...]

León Ferrari mentioned his meeting with the filmmaker Fernando Birri. By and large, Ferrari wrote about the numerous complications generated from being in exile; in particular, he mentioned the disappearance of his son, Ariel, kidnapped by the [...]