Join us for a thought-provoking and insightful session by Cindy Polemis in The Arts Society at Firstsite (TASAF) Lecture series!

The Arts Society at Firstsite is an organisation about connecting people who have a passion for art.

TASAF is part of a global network of local societies, which bring people together through shared curiosity for the arts. You can learn more about it here. 

We offer a series of 10 talks* from accredited lecturers based around the UK. Lectures take place throughout the year from September to June on the third Tuesday of each month. 

Find out more about TASAF here.

Session Program 

The Birth of Modernism in Brazil (Lecture by Cindy Polemis)

At the beginning of the 20th century, Brazil was a young nation in search of its own identity. Artists were looking for their own modern, expressive forms to reflect the Brazilian experience.

But was there such a thing as truly Brazilian culture- of Brazilian art- in such a diverse nation, as it shook off its colonised past?

Brazilian artists started to adapt indigenous traditions with international movements like Cubism, Futurism and Expressionism, creating a new type of modern art steeped in local cultures, traditions and landscapes.

Spurred on by the Sao Paulo based poet Oswaldo de Andrade, and his 1928 ‘Cannibalist Manifesto’, artists were called on to re-interpret Western art and create something entirely new-authentically Brazilian.

From the magical realist landscapes of Tarsila do Amaral, to entirely new forms of abstraction in the extraordinary constructions of Lygia Clark, the swirling and fluttering sculptures of Helio Oticica, and Oscar Niemeyer’s internationally renowned, sweeping architecture, Cindy Polemis charts the evolution of Brazilian modernism.

So come and dip your toes in some tropical lagoons, drink a few visual caipirinhas and experience the excitement of the birth of modernism in Brazil.

About the Lecturer

Dr Antonia Gatward Cevizli is an independent art historian. She gained her PhD from the University of Warwick.

Antonia has lectured for a number of institutions including Sabancı University, Istanbul; Sotheby’s Institute of Art; the National Gallery; the V&A Academy and The Courtauld summer school.

Her interests are wide-ranging and she also worked across the collections of both Tate Modern and Tate Britain as a professional guide. She has lived in Siena, Venice and Istanbul.

Visit the Firstsite Café before or after TASAF Lecture Series session! 

Our cafés offer a wide selection of delicious snacks, cakes and light meals, along with hot and cold drinks which can be purchased to enjoy.

Find out more about our menus here 

*This price is the set fee paid by all members irrespective of the date they join the society.