He was a keen commentator on the inner workings of economic globalisation inequalities, and was fully aware of the considerable disparities prevalent between the first and developing world. Leirner was born in Sao Paulo in 1932 and was arguably, the leading artist in Brazil from the second half of the XXth century onwards.
« Art always has its ways of mocking the system. It’s the system that doesn’t interpret the reading. »
Nelson Leirner
He lived in the US until the late forties, before permanently relocating in Rio de Janeiro. His persisting desire to translate the contradictions of cultural trends into caustic vignettes, immediately brought him considerable attention and interest from the Brazilian art scene, and catapulted him onto the international sta
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He was a keen commentator on the inner workings of economic globalisation inequalities, and was fully aware of the considerable disparities prevalent between the first and developing world. Leirner was born in Sao Paulo in 1932 and was arguably, the leading artist in Brazil from the second half of the XXth century onwards.
« Art always has its ways of mocking the system. It’s the system that doesn’t interpret the reading. »
Nelson Leirner
He lived in the US until the late forties, before permanently relocating in Rio de Janeiro. His persisting desire to translate the contradictions of cultural trends into caustic vignettes, immediately brought him considerable attention and interest from the Brazilian art scene, and catapulted him onto the international stage in the 1980s. His most iconic works are satirical reproductions of Leonardo's 'Mona Lisa' and 'Last Supper”, replete with consumer goods references; a parody of Velasquez's 'Ladies in waiting', and his 'Maracana' football stadium reproduction with hundreds of cheering Buddhas, Jesuses and Roman legionnaires. His untimely passing in March 2020, makes his body of work all the more relevant and pertinent.
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