Groundless world: writing about art

No mundo sem chão: escritos sobre arte collects writing by art critic, curator and researcher Paulo Sergio Duarte, spanning his entire production, from the 1970s to now. Edited by art historian Sérgio Martins, this volume features a piece never before published in Portuguese (The meaning of production, about the work of Antonio Dias, originally written in Italian), and includes essays about formative Brazilian artists, such as Antonio Dias, Iole de Freitas, Tunga, Waltercio Caldas, and other relevant artists, such as Carlos Vergara, Jorge Guinle, Lygia Clark, Nelson Felix, as well as studies about art in general.

The edition also features an interview with Paulo Sergio Duarte conducted by Fred Coelho, Iole de Freitas, Luisa Duarte, Luiz Camillo Osório and Sérgio Martins exclusively for this publication; pictures of works mentioned throughout the book; and a brief chronology of Paulo Sergio Duarte’s trajectory, mapping out his varied intellectual journey, that includes public administration, schooling and the curating of the 5th Bienal do Mercosul.

About the author
Paulo Sergio Duarte is a critic, art historian and curator. Until March 2020 he was a researcher at the Candido Mendes University Center for Applied Social Studies (CESAP), where he directed the Candido Mendes Cultural Center. He held various public offices in the direction of cultural and educational institutions. Among other works, he installed the Paraíba Federal University (UFPb) Contemporary Art Center (NAC), alongside Antonio Dias and Francisco Pereira, in 1978-1979; projected and installed the Funarte Contemporary Brazilian Art Space (Espaço ABC), alongside Glória Ferreira, from 1979-1983; directed the Funarte National Institute for Visual Arts (INAP), from 1981-1983. He acted as Rioarte chief advisor in the Rio de Janeiro mayor’s office, from 1983-1984; administrative modernization advisor in the Rio de Janeiro municipal office for education and culture, in 1984; chief of staff at the Rio de Janeiro municipal office for education and culture from 1985-1986; general manager of Paço Imperial — IPHAN/Pró-Memória from 1986-1990); undersecretary of education at the Rio de Janeiro state administration from 1991-1993; and a member of the implementation group of the North Rio de Janeiro State University (UENF) from 1991-1995. He was the curator of various solo and collective shows of different sizes. He published the books Antonio Dias (with Achille Bonito Oliva) (São Paulo: Cosac Naify / APC, 2015); Arte Brasileira Contemporânea – um prelúdio (Rio de Janeiro: Instituto Plajap, 2008); A Trilha da Trama e outros textos sobre arte (Rio de Janeiro: Funarte, 2004, 2ª edição, 2009); Carlos Vergara (Porto Alegre: Santander Cultural, 2003); Waltercio Caldas (São Paulo: Cosac Naify, 2001); and Anos 60 – Transformações da arte no Brasil (Rio de Janeiro: Campos Gerais, 1998); as well as various essays about modern and contemporary art in books, catalogues and newspapers.

About the editor
Sérgio Bruno Martins is an art critic, art historian and professor at the History department at PUC-Rio. He holds a Master’s and a PhD in Art History from University College of London (UCL). He was the guest editor of the Third Text special edition “Bursting on the Scene: Looking Back at Brazilian Art”, and authored the book Constructing an Avant-Garde: Art in Brazil, 1949-1979 (2013). He’s experienced in art criticism and art history, and acts mainly in the following themes: Brazilian art and avant-garde; the modern legacy and the issue of artistic autonomy in contemporary art; the relationship between visual and written in art; ideologies of urban space.

Specifications
Title No mundo sem chão: escritos sobre arte (Groundless world: writing about art)
Author Paulo Sergio Duarte
Editor Sérgio Martins
Language Portuguese
Page count 472
Publisher Cobogó
ISBN 978-65-5691-131-1
Design Rara Dias e Mari Taboada
Format Softcover
Size 15.5 x 22.5
Year 2023