ArtReview's 1951 Report on the First São Paulo Bienal Revisited as 34th Edition Opens
The first Bienal de São Paulo commenced in 1951, featuring artworks from twenty-two countries alongside a notable Brazilian segment. Eric Newton, a jury member, reported for ArtReview, noting that the top painting award went to French artist Roger Chastel for his non-figurative piece. The British Council secured two out of four print awards, with Prunella Clough and Robert Adams finishing second and third, respectively, after Italian artist Viviani. Prominent Brazilian figures included Candido Portinari, Lasar Segall, and Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, with Segall being honored with a retrospective at the Museum of Art. Funded by Senhor Francisco Matarazzo Sobrinho, the event underscored São Paulo's swift expansion to 2.5 million residents and its cultural evolution.
Key facts
- The first Bienal de São Paulo opened in 1951.
- ArtReview (then Art News and Review) published Eric Newton's report in 1951.
- The thirty-fourth edition of the Bienal opened in the week the article was revisited.
- Twenty-two nations participated in the inaugural Bienal.
- Roger Chastel won the chief painting prize for a non-figurative work.
- The British Council's color-lithographs won two of four print prizes.
- The event building was erected in three months.
- São Paulo had 2.5 million inhabitants in 1951.
Entities
Artists
- Eric Newton
- Roger Chastel
- Médard Tytgat
- Paul Delvaux
- Graham Sutherland
- John Craxton
- Viviani
- Prunella Clough
- Robert Adams
- Candido Portinari
- Lasar Segall
- Emiliano Di Cavalcanti
- José Antônio da Silva
- Oscar Niemeyer
Institutions
- ArtReview
- Art News and Review
- Bienal de São Paulo
- Museum of Art
- Museum of Modern Art
- British Council
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro
- Bahia
- Minas Gerais
- Munich
- Italy
- France
- Switzerland
- Germany
- England