John Graz

The exhibition, with approximately 155 items, revisits the trajectory of John Graz (Geneva, Switzerland 1891 - São Paulo, Brazil 1980), one of the most important names in modernism in Brazil, focusing on his performance as a visual artist and the dedication of his work to indigenous themes, fauna, flora, history and Brazilian popular culture.Having as its central nucleus an expressive set of works from the donation made by the John Graz Institute for the Pinacoteca, the selection of works also includes loans from other institutions and private collections. 'John Graz: tropical idyll' and modern reflects the Swiss artist's particular vision of Brazil, where he lived from 1920 onwards, after some years of multidisciplinary training in Europe that included courses in drawing, decoration, architecture and plastic arts. The curatorship emphasizes Graz's dedication to the creation of a modern and tropical imagination, based on his paintings, drawings and studies, also reflecting on the artist's multiplicity and versatility. These works feature representations of indigenous peoples, images of nature, festivities such as carnival and gaucho parties, Brazilian workers such as raftsmen, as well as historical narratives such as those depicting the Portuguese invasion of Brazil. The catalogue includes critical text by curators Fernanda Pitta and Thierry Freitas, an essay by professor and researcher Horacio Ramos and a complete chronology of the artist prepared by Daniel Ribeiro and Gabriela Gotoda