Forming Abstraction - (Studies on Latin American Art and Latinx Art) by Adele Nelson (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Art produced outside hegemonic centers is often seen as a form of derivation or relegated to a provisional status. Forming Abstraction turns this narrative on its head. In the first book-length study of Brazilian art and culture following World War II, Adele Nelson highlights the importance of exhibitionary and pedagogical institutions in the development of abstract art in Brazil. By focusing on the formation of the Säao Paulo Biennial in 1951; the early activities of artists Geraldo de Barros, Lygia Clark, Waldemar Cordeiro, Hâelio Oiticica, Lygia Pape, and Ivan Serpa; and the ideas of critics like Mâario Pedrosa, Nelson illuminates the complex, strategic processes of citation and adaption of both local and international forms. The book ultimately demonstrates that postwar Brazilian art institutions and abstract artistic groups--and their exhibitions of abstract art in particular--served as crucial loci for the articulation of societal identities in a newly democratic nation at the onset of the Cold War"--

Book Synopsis

Art produced outside hegemonic centers is often seen as a form of derivation or relegated to a provisional status. Forming Abstraction turns this narrative on its head. In the first book-length study of postwar Brazilian art and culture, Adele Nelson highlights the importance of exhibitionary and pedagogical institutions in the development of abstract art in Brazil. By focusing on the formation of the São Paulo Biennial in 1951; the early activities of artists Geraldo de Barros, Lygia Clark, Waldemar Cordeiro, Hélio Oiticica, Lygia Pape, and Ivan Serpa; and the ideas of critics like Mário Pedrosa, Nelson illuminates the complex, strategic processes of citation and adaption of both local and international forms. The book ultimately demonstrates that Brazilian art institutions and abstract artistic groups--and their exhibitions of abstract art in particular--served as crucial loci for the articulation of societal identities in a newly democratic nation at the onset of the Cold War.

From the Back Cover

"Nelson provides a groundbreaking account of Brazilian theories and practices of abstraction. By detailing how the emerging museums, biennials, artists, art collectives, and art press maneuvered across the political chessboard of the mid-century, Forming Abstraction offers a major contribution to the oft misunderstood role of abstraction in the art and politics of the Cold War."--Esther Gabara, author and curator of Pop América, 1965-1975

"Nelson brings new archives, actors, and objects to light in this deeply researched study of post-war abstraction and institution building in Brazil. She reveals the political stakes of varied approaches to form, reframing the internationalism of concretismo within local debates over technology and progress, citizenship and alterity, and the nation's modernist genealogy."--Mary K. Coffey, Professor of Art History, Dartmouth College

"Nelson brings a refreshing new perspective on abstract art in Brazil. Through meticulous research and rich data, she presents an innovative historical understanding of the introduction of abstractionism in Brazilian art, highlighting the cultural discourse defending abstract art and the modern institutions recently created in Brazil. A must-read for anyone interested in Brazilian modern art and art systems!"--Vera Beatriz Siqueira, Professor of Art History, Rio de Janeiro State University

Review Quotes

"Forming Abstraction deftly balances the ideas and practices of individual artists and critics with the motivations of corporate and state patrons and institutions. . . . Nelson's study is necessary reading for students and scholars of modern art in Latin America."-- "CHOICE"

"Forming Abstraction fills in many gaps and inconsistencies about this period and as such is a welcome addition to extant scholarship and especially to the classroom, where Nelson's clear and engaging prose will undoubtedly be appreciated. More importantly, the author's unique insight paves the way for new possibilities in addressing postwar art in Brazil and elsewhere in Latin America, including further research into the racialized, classed, and gendered dimensions of abstract art."-- "Latin American and Latinx Visual Culture"

About the Author

Adele Nelson is Assistant Professor of Art History and Associate Director of the Center for Latin American Visual Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.