HÉLIO OITICICA, MARIELA SCAFATI

Pivô hosts Beijo, an exhibition by Mariela Scafati and Hélio Oiticica. According to Gonzalo Aguilar, author of the critical essay, the exhibition shakes the idea of body and artwork by treating paintings, canvases, colors, ropes, miniature theater (kamishibai), the gazes of the spectators and even the air itself as bodies. The author says: “The exhibition removes the paintings from the walls, a practice as old and common as it is intimidating, and arranges them in space. They are pieces in suspension. Beijo is a celebration and investigation of the contact, and about how contact works in our lives and in its politics (that is, in the ways of creating bonds).” Organized by ISLA FLOTANTE in partnership with Gomide&Co, the exhibition opens on October 26th (Saturday, 1pm–4pm).

Mariela Scafati (Olivos, Argentina, 1973) lives and works in Buenos Aires. She studied visual arts at the E.S.A.V. Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, and took part in the workshops of Tulio de Sagastizábal, Pablo Suárez, and Guillermo Kuitca. Considered one of the most important Argentine artists of her generation, Scafati’s work is based on her practice as a painter and screen printer and her experiences with social activism and education. She co-founded the action Taller Popular Serigrafía (2002-07) and has been a member of the collective Serigrafistas Queer since 2007, creating materials such as slogans and stencils used in LGBTTTIQ+ pride parades in Argentina. In her work, the artist combines formal experimentation, queer themes, and the social, political, and economic issues of her country. In addition to solo exhibitions in Argentina, her works have been shown in group exhibitions in Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Her works are part of important institutional collections, such as: Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA); Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS), Madrid; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; and others.

Hélio Oiticica (Rio de Janeiro, 1937–1980) is one of the main figures in Brazilian art in the second half of the 20th century. He began his artistic studies at Ivan Serpa’s Free Painting Course at MAM Rio in 1954, developing works marked by the experience of the concrete art movement of the time. Between 1955 and ‘56, he was a member of the Grupo Frente, signing the Manifesto Neoconcreto (1959), from which his work expanded to include the public as a participant in the work. During the 1960s, he developed some of his best-known series (Bilaterais, Relevos Espaciais, Núcleos, Penetráveis, and Bólides) and took part in group shows that are considered historic, such as Opinião 65 (1965) and Nova Objetividade Brasileira (1967), both at MAM Rio. From 1970 to 1978, he lived in New York as a fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, experimenting with super-8 films. He returned to Rio de Janeiro in 1978 and died prematurely in 1980. His works have been shown in solo and group exhibitions around the world and are part of renowned institutional collections, such as: Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro (MAM Rio); Inhotim, Brumadinho, MG; Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA); The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York; Tate Modern, London; and others.