Quando a Transvanguarda encontrou a “Transpicália”

A noite em que 'A Moreninha' tirou o crítico italiano do sério

Abstract

The paper refers to an unusual passage in Rio de Janeiro in 1987: a lecture by the Italian art critic Achille Bonito Oliva, theoretical mentor of the European artistic movement Transavantgarde, that underwent artistic intervention by the collective A Moreninha, formed by artists and critics active in Rio de Janeiro at that time. The action, which expressed irony and disagreement in relation to a supposed imposition of the concepts elaborated by Bonito Oliva on artistic production in Brazil, ended with an aggressive reaction from the critic, followed by an interview published in the Rio de Janeiro press in which he disapproved of the artists' attitude. and disparaged icons of Brazilian culture. The performance also marked a moment of division for A Moreninha – the decision to perform it resulted in the departure of artists who later achieved international renown, such as Beatriz Milhazes. Based on documents and journalistic texts, an analysis of the situation is presented in view of a broader context of relations between the art system and the production of the so-called Generation 80.