Franciscan Nature

Inspired by the Canticle of Creatures, by Francisco de Assis, the exhibition presents works by artists who use elements of nature in a collaborative relationship

From February 27th, MAM presents the Franciscan Nature exhibition, which offers a contemporary notion of the collaborative relationship between human beings and nature. Curated by Felipe Chaimovich, the exhibition is organized around the stanzas of the Canticle of Creatures, a song written by Francisco de Assis, probably between 1220 and 1226, recognized as a precursor text to issues relating to ecology.

To cover the line of art and ecology, the curator selected artists who use elements of nature in their productions, bringing together 18 works from the museum's collection plus 19 loans, totaling 37 works that are displayed in different media such as photography, drawing, engraving, video, artist book, installation, sound work, object, sculpture and embroidery. “The works originate from relationships with the elements described in the Canticle: sun, stars, air, water, fire, earth, illnesses and tribulations and, finally, death”, explains Chaimovich, a student of the work of Francis of Assisi for 15 years.

About the exhibition

Divided according to the elements mentioned in the song Cântico das Criaturas, by Francisco de Assis, the exhibition begins with the sun represented by the color photograph Lâmpada (2002), by artist Lucia Koch, alongside the black and white photographs The celebration of light (1991 ), by Marcelo Zocchio, and the 12 books in the I got up series (1968-1979), by the Japanese On Kawara.

The water element is themed by the photographs A line in the arctic #1 and A line in the arctic #8 (2012), by Marcelo Moscheta from São Paulo, and by works related to the Coletas project, by multimedia artist Brígida Baltar, which include images from the series The Neblina Collection (1998-2005), five ink drawings on paper (2004), the glass sculpture The Orvalho Collection (2001) and the video Collections (1998-2005).

In counterpoint, fire is symbolized by the video Homenagem a W. Turner (2002), by Thiago Rocha Pitta, and by the traces of smoke on acrylic and paper made by sculptor and designer Shirley Paes Leme. The air element is in charge of the sculpture Venus Bleue, by French artist Yves Klein. The stars are presented through seven photographs by German artist Wolfgang Tillmans. Representing the earth, 30 cardboard boxes full of leaves and tree branches wrapped in plastic, cardboard and color photographs are on display, an installation made in 1975, by Sérgio Porto, in addition to the handmade paper relief (1981), by Frans Krajcberg.

Illnesses and tribulations are thematized in the installation Dis-placement (1996-7), by Paulo Lima Buenoz: in a room with furniture, medicine bottles, roses, canvas, chalk and paint, the artist demonstrates the paths he took to achieve and taking all medications to combat the effects of AIDS, before the emergence of anti-HIV cocktails. Artist Nazareth Pacheco displays a series of black and white photographs from 1993, which show the congenital malformation of the cleft lip, teeth, x-rays and a plaster object.

Finally, death is represented by the last fabric embroidered by José Leonilson before he passed away in 1993. Permeating the exhibition, the sound installation Tudo aqui (2015), by artist Chiara Banfi, reaches the entire exhibition space and covers all the elements represented .

SONG OF CREATURES

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord,
Yours are the praise, the glory and the honor and every blessing.
To you alone, Most High, these things
and no man is worthy to name you.

Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures,
especially sun brother sun,
who gives us the day and enlightens us through it.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor:
from you, Most High, it brings meaning.

Praised be you, my Lord, by sister moon and by the stars:
in heaven you formed them clear and precious and beautiful.

Praised be you, my Lord, by brother wind
and through the air and the clouds and the clear weather and all weathers,
by which you give sustenance to your creatures.

Praised be you, my Lord, for sister water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

Praised be you, my Lord, for brother fire,
by which you light up the night:
and he is beautiful and cheerful and robust and strong.

Praised be you, my Lord, for our sister mother earth,
that sustains and governs us
and produces various fruits with colorful flowers and plants.

Praised be you, my Lord, for those who forgive your
love and endure illnesses and tribulations.
Blessed are those who keep peace
Because by you, Most High, they will be crowned.

Praised be you, my Lord, for our sister bodily death,
which no living man can escape:
unhappiness for those who die in mortal sin;
Blessed are those who are doing your holy will
when she surprises them,
because the second death will not harm them.
Praise and bless my Lord and give thanks
and I served him with great humility.

Words from the curator

Francisco de Assis can be considered the founder of ecology. For him, human beings have a collaborative relationship with natural elements: nature is not subordinated to human interests. Although the human being is positioned as a singular part of nature, the other elements must be treated by us as members of a single universal family.

Francisco de Assis wrote a song lyric with his ideas: the “Canticle of the Creatures”. From a young age he sang love songs in French. In the last years of his life, he wrote the “Song” in the language of his native Italy; in it, the different natural elements and phases of life are welcomed as brothers and sisters.

After the death of Francisco de Assis, in 1226, the Franciscans encouraged a new look at the universe, seeing in it traces of the same geometry that would unite human thought with natural elements. The Franciscans encouraged the discovery of perspective through studies of the geometry of light and, thus, the birth of art based on perspective drawing.

Here we bring together artists who collaborate with elements of nature and life in their work. The works are grouped according to the parts of Francis of Assisi's “Song”: sun, stars, air, water, fire, earth, illnesses and tribulations, death. The relationship between art and ecology becomes evident when we understand the founding position of Francisco de Assis in our culture.

Felipe Chaimovich
Curator