- Bicho (máquina)
- Critter (Machine)
- Bicho
- Critter
Explore Further
The "Bichos" represent the last stage of Lygia Clarks's geometric research that, since the 1950s, had been involved with a systematic deconstruction of traditional painting into its key elements: line, plane, and surface. These components were crucial to the Neo-Concrete movement she developed with Hélio Oiticica, Willys de Castro, Hércules Barsotti, and others in Rio de Janeiro in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In Neo-Concretismo, the object itself is progressively negated in favor of the the body and the community, by and large, as kernels of a happening, a rite, or an action. The artist named them "Bichos" because of their fundamentally organic character. In addition, the hinge that connects the planes reminded the artist of a spinal column. More important, the Bicho has no reverse, no other side. The layout of the metal planes determines the position of the "critter," which at first sight seems limitless. Here, 10 semicircles and 13 triangles connect by hinges in order for the object to take on various shapes.
Related ICAA documents:
Vera Pedrosa Martins de Alemeida, "L'homme est le centre = O homem é o centro [consultado]," 1998 (record ID 1110692)
Guy Brett, [Letter to Adolpho Leirner], 1988 (record ID 1232349)
Lygia Clark, "1968:Somos domésticos?," 1980 (record ID 1110516)
Ferreira Gullar, "Do quadro ao não objeto," 1960 (record ID 1091272)
David Medalla, ed., “Lygia Clark at Signals London, 27th May to 3rd July,” 1965 (record ID
1232662)
Frederico Morais, "Contra a arte afluente : o corpo é o motor da "obra"," 1970 (record ID 1110685)
ProvenanceThe artist; Ralph Camargo, São Paulo; Adolpho Leirner, São Paulo, 1972; purchased by MFAH, 2005.
Exhibition HistoryBiennale Internazionale d’Arte,Venice, July–October, 1968.
"Lygia Clark: superfícies moduladas/bichos/manifestações," Galeria Ralph Camargo, São Paulo, November–December, 1971.
"Tradição e Ruptura," Fundação Bienal de São Paulo, Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo, November, 1984–January, 1985.
"Art in Latin America: The Modern Era, 1820-1980," Hayward Gallery, London, May–August, 1989.
"Arte en Iberoamérica 1820-1980," Palacio de Velázquez, Madrid, December, 1989–March, 1990.
"Latinamerikansk konst: Jord och Frihet 1830-1970," Nationalmuseum, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, September–November, 1989.
"Artistas Latinoamericanos del siglo XX," Estación Plaza de Armas, Seville, August–October, 1992.
"Art d’Amérique latine 1911-1968," Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, November 1992–January, 1993.
"America bride of the sun," Koninklijk Museum Voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp, February–May, 1992.
"Latin American Artists of the Twentieth Century," Museum of Modern Art, New York, June–September, 1993.
"Lateinamerikanische Kunst," Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Feburary–April, 1993.
"22 Bienal Internacional: salas especiais," Fundação Bienal de São Paulo, Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo, October–December, 1994.
"Bienal Brasil Século XX," Fundação Bienal de São Paulo, Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo, April–May, 1994.
"Latin American Women Artists 1915–1995," Milwaukee Art Museum, March–May, 1995; Phoenix Art Museum, July–October, 1995.
"Lygia Clark," Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Barcelona, October–December, 1997.
"Arte construtiva no Brasil: Coleção Adolpho Leirner," Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, October–December, 1998.
"Lygia Clark," Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, June–August, 1999.
"Arte construtiva no Brasil: Coleção Adolpho Leirner," Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, January–March, 1999.
"Cuasi-corpus: arte concreto y neoconcreto de Brasil," Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City, February–June, 2003; MARCO Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Monterrey, July–October, 2003.
"Beyond Geometry: Experiments in form, 1940-70s," Los Angeles County Museum of Art, June–October, 2004.
"Dimensions of Constructive Art in Brazil: The Adolpho Leirner Collection," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, May–September, 2007.
"Modern Art from the Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City, December 12, 2007–April 6, 2008.
“North Looks South: Building the Latin American Art Collection,” Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, June 7–September 27, 2009.
“Adolpho Leirner Collection of Brazilian Constructive Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,” Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich, November 12, 2009–February 21, 2010.
“Constructed Dialogues: Concrete, Geometric, and Kinetic Art from the Latin American Art Collection,” Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, September 16, 2012–January 6, 2013.
"Lygia Clark Retrospective," Museum of Modern Art, New York, May 10–August 24, 2014.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Printed labels on the underside have been removed to the Accession file:
Coll / Fulvia e Adolpho Leirner / Rua Bahia 204 / São Paulo 01244 / BRAZIL TEL 660763 ...
TRADIÇÃO E / RUPTURA / ETIQUETA DE IDENTIFICAÇÃO / Novembro 84 / Janeiro 85 / NOME DO ARTISTA: Lygia Clark / TÍTULO E DATA: Bicho (a máquina) / ... / PROPRIETÁRIO: Adolpho Leirner / ...
B I E N A L / B R A S I L / S É C U L O / X X / 24 DE ABRIL A 29 DE MAIO DE 1994 / Edemar Cid Ferreira / Presidente (logo) Nelson Aguilar / Curador / Fundação Bienal de São Paulo
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
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