Brazilian modernisms: art, architecture, design

on Celso Lima

Dates: April 08, 15, 22, 29 and May 06, 2026
Wednesdays
Hour: 19h to 21h
Duration: 5 meetings
Audience: general interested parties
Investment: R$ 400,00 + fees

Online course
Live, via video conferencing platform
Recorded classes available for a limited time only
Includes certificate at the end

This course aims to explore the various influences, connections, and linguistic radiations that shaped the traits, forms, and concepts in the history of Brazilian modernism, which established its own important differences through the actions of artists and professionals in design and architecture between the 1930s and 1960s. Through the presentation of works and projects, we will trace a timeline of the construction of modernism in the country, highlighting political, social, economic, and cultural contexts, the demand for solutions and achievements, but also the gaps.

Agenda

Lesson 1 – Two Schools: Vkhutemas and Bauhaus

• The Industrial Revolution of Capital;
• Working classes: Socialism, Anarchism, and Communism;
• Svomas / Vkhutemas;
• Bauhaus;
• Constructivism and Functionalism on the drawing board.

Lesson 2 – The Modern Exposed

• A Modern Week in 1922;
• Modernist quartet: Olivia Penteado and Paulo Prado, Tarsila do Amaral and Oswald de Andrade;
• Sonia Delaunay and Regina Gomide Graz: Paris in 1925;
• Painting and Sculpture: The Brazilian Theme;
• The MoMA in NY.

Lesson 3 – Architecting the Modern

• Rino Levi Associated Architects;
• The Modernist House by Gregori Warchavchik;
• MMM Roberto;
• Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa: the Rio de Janeiro school;
• Vilanova Artigas and Carlos Bratke: the São Paulo school;
• Two modern parks: Ibirapuera and Flamengo.

Lesson 4 – Modernist Furniture

• IAC: School of Design;
• Modern original: Terrae Brasilis Graphic Designs;
• Joaquim Tenreiro and Sergio Rodrigues;
• The Black & White Collective;
• Michel Arnoult: a popular piece of furniture.

Lesson 5 – Drawn Surfaces

• Brazilian Cheetahs;
• Basf table: Fayga Ostrower and Petropolitana;
• Rhodia and printing;
• Paulo Werneck, Antonio Maluf and Athos Bulcão: climbing the walls;
• Art as a manifesto: Concrete and Neo-Concrete.

Celso Lima

Celso Lima, textile artist, professor and researcher of design history, textile technologies and surface design, co-curator of the exhibition Vkhutemas, the future under construction (SESC Pompeia, 2018), recipient of an APCA award, and co-author of the book VKHUTEMAS, Drawing of a Revolution (Kinoruss, 2020), as well as author of the biography of Aleksei Gan in the book Constructivism / Aleksei Gan (Kinoruss, 2024).

Currently, he works on the creation and production of textile art using various techniques, developing laboratories and workshops with students, and works as a researcher in the history of textile design, with an emphasis on Russian and Soviet authors.

MAM friend There's a 20% discount. Be part!
Students, teachers and retirees have a 10% discount
Doubts:
cursos@mam.org.br
WhatsApp: Phone: 11 99774 3987

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credits

Picture: Metaschema (1958), by Hélio Oiticica. MAM São Paulo Collection