Geraldo De Barros

Geraldo de Barros is a seminal figure in Brazilian art whose multi-faceted oeuvre, much like that of his contemporary Lygia Clark, is remarkable in its depth and scope. An early leader of Brazil’s Concrete movement, his practice engaged with painting, photography, sculpture and industrial design. De Barros first rose to prominence as a painter and founding member of Grupo XV in the 1940s, and soon after gained notoriety as an innovative and experimental photographer. He explored minimal form in photography through manipulating negatives, superimposing, scratching and painting on them, to create arresting abstractions he called Fotoformas. This technique of distillation and precision was later carried into sculpture, painting, and eventually industrial design. Geraldo de Barros: Purity of Form includes key pieces from de Barros’ practice, presenting the life work of a figure who is widely considered to be one of the most influential Brazilian artists of his generation.

Geraldo de Barros has been the subject of major solo exhibitions worldwide, most recently at The Photographer’s Gallery in London and the SESC Vila Mariana in Sao Paulo. His work is included in the permanent collections of internationally renowned institutions a such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY; Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland; Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, Miami, FL; Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Germany; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; Tate Modern in London, UK; among many others.