O Pelourinho — An exhibition in the colours of Brazil Hull, Quebec, February 15, 2001 — Starting on February 16, 2001, the Canadian Museum of Civilization will present a highly colourful exhibition entitled O Pelourinho! Popular Art from the Historic Heart of Brazil. Organized by Barbara Cervenka, O.P., Siena Heights University, Michigan, and Marion E. Jackson, Ph.D., Wayne State University, Michigan, this superb exhibition will feature works of art that combine African traditions, Brazilian history and popular culture.
The Pelourinho, a historic site located in the heart of the colonial city of Salvador, the first capital of Brazil, owes its name to its tragic past. Pelourinho means "pillory" in Portuguese, and the former central square of the old city was where African slaves were sold and criminals were publicly beaten. Today, the Pelourinho has become a vibrant business and cultural centre. Declared an historic site by UNESCO because of its remarkable architecture, Pelourinho Square has seen its once dilapidated buildings restored and has become the home of cultural groups reclaiming their African heritage through music and dance. Painters and sculptors, set up in small workshops or improvised galleries, sell their works to tourists and collectors.
The more than 125 works in this exhibition, including paintings of various sizes, wood carvings, wall plaques and iron ferramentas, show how the artists of the Pelourinho record their unique history, convey their experiences and express the values that shape their lives. "These paintings, sculptures and religious objects were created by talented men and women, most of whom eke out a living from their art, but few of whom have had formal art training," states Sylvie Morel, Director General, Exhibitions and Programmes, CMC. Working seriously at their art and wishing to make a living from it, the artists of the Pelourinho work in extremely simple conditions and are hardly aware of the existence of an international artistic community.
Among the themes addressed by the artists of the Pelourinho is their interest in local history. Referring not to official history, but rather to the experiences of the people and the historic events and characters deemed important by the people, their works speak both of the complexity of contemporary everyday life in the Pelourinho and of the history of slavery.
Another source of inspiration is the old city and its rich architectural shapes — with its combinations of colours, the textures of its sloping red tile roofs, the patterns of the cobblestone streets and the decaying facades of its palaces and colonial churches.
In addition, the artistic élan of many artists seems to spring from the vast Brazilian countryside, the symbol of rural life with which they maintain strong links. In these works, we can see an interest in ecology and a pervasive concern for the Brazilian tropical forest What is more, although some artists weave the spiritual symbolism of the Brazilian forest into their art, others use the rich imagery of Catholicism and candomblé, a religion rooted in the ancient African nations of Dahomey, Benin, Angola and Congo.
Featuring works by artists from the Pelourinho and the neighbouring village of Cachoeira, and celebrating the history, experience and rich traditions of this area of northeastern Brazil, O Pelourinho! Popular Art from the Historic Heart of Brazil will be presented in the Gallery of the Canadian Museum of Civilization from February 16, 2001 to September 3, 2001.
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