H-ART. Revista de historia, teoría y crítica de arte

hart. Rev. Hist. Teor. Crit. Arte | eISSN 2590-9126 | ISSN 2539-2263

Geraldo de Barros: Photography as Construction

No. 2 (2018-01-01)
  • Danielle Stewart
    University of New York, United States
https://doi.org/10.25025/hart02.2018.04

Abstract

This essay analyzes the form and content of Brazilian artist Geraldo de Barros’ 1951 exhibition Fotoforma. In the Fotoforma photographs, Barros employed photography as a process of construction. With photographs of construction materials as his building blocks, Barros rebuilt urban space by layering his negatives with artistic interventions, drawing attention to the tenuousness (physical and theoretical) of São Paulo’s urban structure. The experimental form of Barros’ oeuvre, as well as his interest in vernacular spaces, creates a place for marginalized narratives to enter the dialog of Brazilian modernization.

Keywords: Brazilian modern art, experimental photography, São Paulo, urbanization, marginalization

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