A simple question asked during a pandemic Zoom call has led to the largest exhibition of Brazilian art ever presented in Canada. Tropi-X: Brazilian Art in Canada, 1970s-Now, which brings together more than 70 artworks by 44 artists, runs Nov. 22 through April 19 at Museum London.
The exhibition, the brainchild of Western visual arts professor Alena Robin, is built around a rare collection of 1970s-era works donated to Museum London in 1985 by long-time patrons John and Elizabeth Moore.
Mostly unseen for more than three decades, these historical pieces, which include paintings, prints, sculpture and textile works, are rooted in folklore, religion, popular culture and Modernist experimentation and reflect a pivotal moment in Brazilian art history.
“It is almost by accident that I became aware of the existence of Museum London’s Brazilian collection, which hadn’t been exhibited since the 1990s. I just asked a question about any Latin America art held by Museum London and three years later, we have this incredible exhibition to share with the world,” said Robin, who serves as chair of Western’s visual arts department.
Manoel Alexandre Filho, Carangueijo e Cajus, 1970, oil on masonite, Collection of Museum London, Gift of Mr. & Mrs. John H. Moore, London, Ontario, 1985
Retracing steps, telling new stories
John “Jake” Moore (1915-97), former president of John Labatt Limited, and his wife Elizabeth “Woody” (1917-2017), a life-long community builder, were both passionate art supporters, who began collecting art in 1945. They assembled their Brazilian collection while on business trips during the 1970s, when Jake was working for Brascan, a now defunct Canadian utility company established in Brazil in 1917.
Alena Robin
“Museum London has the biggest collection of Brazilian art in Canada, and if that was not a strong statement enough, what makes it unique is that it was assembled over a few years by the joint efforts of a couple who had strong ties to London. They carefully picked artists and topics that are still recognized and meaningful today. The images are vibrant, colourful, some of them even playful,” said Robin, an expert of Mexican religious art.
In researching the exhibition, Robin retraced the galleries the Moores visited in Brazil and the artists they met.
“The collection offers an impressive variety of mediums, mostly painting, print and textile works. The textile pieces by Genaro de Carvalho and Gilda Azeredo de Azevedo are exquisite,” said Robin. “I am amazed to see many of the artists the Moores supported were outside the traditional markets in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and a few of the featured artists are currently enjoying a revival on the international scene.”
To fully realize Tropi-X and infuse the exhibition with new perspectives, the Moore collection is presented alongside contemporary works by 20 Brazilian-Canadian artists currently living across Canada, bridging the past and present.
Renina Katz, Arcadas Com Olhos, 1971, oil on board, Collection of Museum London, Gift of Mr. & Mrs. John H. Moore, London, Ontario, 1985
“Although I am not an expert in Brazilian art, it has a magic spell on me. I immediately saw the potential, and I embraced the mission of reactivating this amazing collection,” said Robin. “We have a unique opportunity to see, most of them for the first time, Museum London’s Brazilian collection, and more so, in conversation with the work of Brazilian artists currently living in Canada. The enthusiastic response and interest we had from these artists to participate in the exhibition was impressive.”
Robin co-curated Tropi-X with Rodrigo D’Alcântara, a PhD candidate at Concordia University. A curator, researcher and transdisciplinary visual artist working mainly in film and video, D’Alcântara worked closely with the the contemporary Brazilian artists living in Canada, bringing them on board, to make the exhibition current and to ignite a conversation with the past.
“Some of these pieces revisit the legacies of the 1970s Tropicalismo movement, which explored how Brazilian identity is forged through the blending of foreign and local influences. Others address the effects of media saturation, queerness and identity politics in Brazil,” said D’Alcântara. “Together, these works form a dynamic loop of aesthetic references and transcultural dialogues, offering a layered reflection on how tropicality continues to evolve as a site of imagination and re-appropriation.”
While Tropi-X preserves a unique snapshot of Brazil in the 1970s, it also underscores how much broader, richer and more diverse London, Ont. has become in the last 40 years.
Raquel Trindade, Tower of St. Lazarus with Child and Old Man, 1970, oil on canvas, Collection of Museum London, Gift of Mr. & Mrs. John H. Moore, London, Ontario, 1985
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Alena and Rodrigo on this exhibition. When the Moores donated most of the Brazilian artworks to the Museum in 1985, London’s cultural landscape was very different. Today, with the growth of Central and South American communities, including many Brazilian Londoners, our collection has taken on new meaning. It now reflects and represents the vibrant community around us, and that makes this moment truly special,” said Andrew Kear, head of programs at Museum London.
Women well represented
While the collection is vast and features colourful traditional scenes rendered in the works of Alexandre Filho, Fernando da Silva and Francisco da Silva, Robin shares particular praise for the women represented by their art in the exhibition.
“The Moores were dedicated collectors and art supporters, and they had vision. And the presence of female artists must be acknowledged,” said Robin. “I am now a fan of Elenir De Oliveira Teixeira, Raquel Trindade and Renina Katz.”
Ivan Moraes, Cena Foclórica, 1972-1973, acrylic and oil on canvas, Collection of Museum London, Gift of Mr. & Mrs. John H. Moore, London, Ontario, 1985
When asked to name a favourite piece in the exhibition, Robin admitted it was no easy choice. Still, she settled on one that perfectly captured everything that sparked her newfound passion for Brazilian art.
“I am particularly fond of Ivan Morais’ Cena Folclórica. I am amazed by the intricate iconography, the carefully rendering of details and the celebration of the Afro-Brazilian culture,” said Robin.
Members of the public are invited to the first look of Tropi-X and seven other new exhibitions and installations at Museum London’s Winter Launch Party on Thurs., Nov. 27. Learn more and reserve your spot here.
