Guto Lacaz's 1987 Installation Eletro Esfero Espaço Acquired by Pinacoteca in 2016 After Decades of Obscurity
In 2016, at the age of 68, Brazilian artist Guto Lacaz made his debut sale with the piece Eletro Esfero Espaço, which was acquired by the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo. This work, created in 1987, was first showcased at the A Trama do Gosto exhibition, curated by Antenor Lago for the Fundação Bienal. Lacaz utilized 26 borrowed Black & Decker vacuum cleaners and Walkmans that played Richard Wagner's Thannhäuser. The installation garnered attention and was later included in the 1988 Modernidade exhibition in Paris. Although he has no formal art education and started his career in 1978, Lacaz achieved recognition in 1982 and received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1989, yet he primarily focused on graphic design, referring to himself as 'um maior abandonado' in the art scene.
Key facts
- Guto Lacaz sold his first artwork to an institution in 2016 at age 68.
- The installation Eletro Esfero Espaço was created in 1987 and acquired by Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo.
- The work debuted at A Trama do Gosto exhibition at Pavilhão da Bienal, São Paulo in 1987.
- The installation used 26 Black & Decker vacuum cleaners borrowed through a Fundação Bienal connection.
- Curator Aracy Amaral selected it for the 1988 Modernidade exhibition in Paris and São Paulo.
- Lacaz has no formal art training and studied architecture in São José dos Campos in 1974.
- He began his art career in 1978 after encouragement from cousin Raquel Arnaud.
- Despite exhibiting widely and winning a 1989 Guggenheim Fellowship, he survived primarily through graphic design.
Entities
Artists
- Guto Lacaz
- Sheila Leirner
- Regina Silveira
- Nelson Leirner
- Bené Fonteles
- Leon Ferrari
- Antenor Lago
- Richard Wagner
- Aracy Amaral
- Raquel Arnaud
- Dudi Maia Rosa
- Carlos Fajardo
- Luiz Paulo Baravelli
- Ivaldo Granato
Institutions
- Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo
- Fundação Bienal
- Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo
- Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo de São José dos Campos
- Paço das Artis
- MIS
- Veja
- Subdistrito
- São Paulo
- Luisa Strina
- Marília Razuk
- Guggenheim Fellowship
- Centro Cultural São Paulo
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Ibirapuera Park
- Paris
- France
- São José dos Campos