The retrospective of Rio de Janeiro artist
Ernesto Neto dominates the
Pinacoteca de São Paulo . A majestic crocheted tree reigns in the Octagon and other diverse works – created from the dialogue with the
Huni Kuin indigenous group, from Acre – occupy seven more rooms on the 1st floor. floor and other spaces at Pina Luz.
Curated by Jochen Volz and Valéria Piccoli, the institution brings São Paulo residents closer to one of the most prominent names in contemporary Brazilian sculpture. The set of installations on display should not only be admired; the artist proposes a full-body immersion in the varied crochet weaves made with cotton mesh, which sometimes involves amethyst stones and sometimes other materials. According to Neto: “any piece is a work of art and we are all artists.”
It was from the 1980s, at the beginning of his career, that the artist began producing works that discuss the relationships between the exhibition space and the various dimensions of the spectator. From his initial sculptures, large-scale installations made with polyamide mesh, spheres made of styrofoam and spices, the artist offered visitors a space for socializing, pausing and becoming aware.
Today, in the same way, Neto goes a little further, his compositions made with cotton weaves continue to be playful, but now they also welcome ritual actions with the aim of bringing to the public one of his central questions: the need for the presence of the body as a inseparable element of the mind and spirituality. And to this end, the Pinacoteca promotes a series of interactive activities designed by the artist together with the
Huni Kuin indigenous group.
According to Ernesto Neto, it is necessary to understand the planet as an interdependent organism, which has its source of knowledge in the people of the forest. “Living with the Huni Kuin brought me a deep understanding of spirituality, of this force of continuity of the 'body-self' and of the 'body-environment'. There is much to discover as humanity: who are we? Where are we? Where are we going?”, asks the artist. Service "Ernesto Neto: Blowing” Where? Art Gallery – Luz Square, 2 When? Until July 15th As? Full price: R$10 Half-price: R$5
