Salão da Bússola: Conceptual Art Under Brazil's Dictatorship
In 1969, amid Brazil's military rule, the Salão da Bússola art salon was established by Aroldo Araújo to celebrate his agency's fifth anniversary, becoming a center for conceptual art and political dissent. Censorship forced many artworks from banned exhibitions to be redirected to this salon. The Brazilian representation for the VI Bienal de Paris at MAM Rio was canceled, resulting in the confiscation of pieces by Antonio Manuel and Evandro Teixeira. The salon featured an "etc." category for experimental art, where a jury, including Renina Katz and Mário Schenberg, accepted 313 out of 890 entries. Cildo Meireles was awarded for Nowhere Is My Home (1969). This event ignited public discourse and led to the establishment of Unidade Experimental at MAM Rio the same year.
Key facts
- Salão da Bússola held in 1969 in Rio de Janeiro.
- Organized by Aroldo Araújo for his advertising agency's fifth anniversary.
- Occurred under Brazil's military dictatorship after AI-5.
- Attracted works from censored exhibitions across Brazil.
- Included an 'etc.' category in regulations, embraced by artists.
- Cildo Meireles won the top prize for conceptual works.
- Artur Barrio's intervention Trouxas ensanguentadas emerged from the salon.
- Led to the founding of Unidade Experimental and Área Experimental at MAM Rio.
Entities
Artists
- Cildo Meireles
- Antonio Manuel
- Artur Barrio
- Evandro Teixeira
- Renina Katz
- Mário Schenberg
- Walmir Ayala
- Frederico Morais
- José Roberto Teixeira Leite
- Luiz Alphonsus
- Guilherme Vaz
Institutions
- MAM Rio
- DOPS
- Salão da Bússola
- Salão de Arte Moderna de Brasília
- III Salão de Ouro Preto
- Bienal de Salvador
- VI Bienal de Paris
- Unidade Experimental
- Área Experimental
Locations
- Rio de Janeiro
- Brazil
- Brasília
- Ouro Preto
- Salvador
- Paris
Sources
- MAM Rio —