Antônio Poteiro (Santa Cristina da Pousa, Portugal 1925 - Goiânia GO 2010)
Antônio Poteiro was a sculptor, painter and ceramist, known for his significant contributions to Brazilian popular art. A native of Santa Cristina da Pousa, in the district of Braga, Portugal, he emigrated with his family to Brazil, settling in São Paulo in 1926. He later lived in Araguari and Uberlândia, where he began working as a ceramist, making utilitarian pieces. During his career, he set up two ceramics factories, which unfortunately went bankrupt, leading him to spend a long period among the Indigenous peoples of Bananal Island, in Goiás. This experience was fundamental to his development and, later, he settled in Goiânia.
In 1957, under the guidance of the folklorist Regina Lacerda, he adopted the nickname Antônio Poteiro (poteiro meaning "pot maker"), and began signing his ceramic works with that name. His creations came to feature regional motifs and biblical themes, reflecting the influences of his life experience and of the cultures he came into contact with. In 1972, already known as a ceramist, he was encouraged by the artists Siron Franco and Cleber Gouvêa to take up painting. From then on, he exhibited his work in shows in Brazil and abroad, standing out as a multifaceted artist.
Besides his artistic production, Antônio Poteiro also taught ceramics, sharing his knowledge at the Sesc Activities Center and in German cities such as Hanover and Düsseldorf. In 1985, he received the São Paulo Association of Art Critics (APCA) award in the sculpture category. In 1997, he received one of the country's highest honors, the Order of Cultural Merit, granted by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture.
Critical Commentary
After making utilitarian ceramics for some time, Antonio Poteiro began making small clay figures. He also took up painting, encouraged by Siron Franco (1947), and gradually developed his skill as a colorist. As the critic Olívio Tavares de Araújo points out, Poteiro maintains a coherent style, both in the formal procedures he develops and in his highly personal use of color. His themes are varied, ranging from the fauna of the Mato Grosso Pantanal to subjects from religious history, approached in an original way.
His canvases and ceramics are filled with small figures of houses, animals, streams, people and ornamental details that fill every empty space, and are treated with meticulousness and technical acuity. He produced a series on the 500 years of the history of Brazil, in which he maintains the personal and creative view of his themes that characterizes his work.
Critiques
"Antonio Poteiro is a subtle harmonizer of forms and colors and a no less subtle commentator on the great theater of the world. He tells or invents fables, traces parables, changes their meaning. In the obsessive ornamental variations that cover the skin of his ceramics and paintings, the irreverence of the situations and the rigor of the images now give visual form to the activity he dreamed of for himself - that of a poet and singer.
In the theater of his painting, each picture is a screen where the different figurations inscribed in it answer one another, as actors in a magic show would; or, settling into the verticality of the picture plane, they find themselves traveling through boundless space - as the aviator Poteiro also aspired to become as a young man would fly. 'Everything is one and the same thing'. Between innocence and wisdom, where does one draw the line? Poteiro answers: 'Everything is one and the same thing'. Or: 'I call on God, out comes the Devil, see. I call on the Devil, out comes God'. And do not meddle with his gods, for their naturalness has little to do with the catechisms that teach that evil is on one side and good on the other, a device that has only ever served to (supposedly) tame flocks of the wretched. Poteiro's art is conceived without sin: innocence knows no sin, just as wisdom is without presumption. For if presumption is the opposite of innocence, it is also the opposite of wisdom, and it goes about the world trying to take the place of both and making people even more wretched. The presumptuous will laugh at the celestial cavalhadas among, for example, turtles and lizards, animals that are not ridden and never leave the ground. But Poteiro, who says he did not play as a child, knows today how delightful the rule of dreams is, which is after all the rule of all creation - the transformation of the relationships by which things seemed hopelessly constrained".
Júlio Pomar
POMAR, Júlio. Fabuloso Poteiro. In: POTEIRO, Antonio. Pintura - cerâmica. Brasília: Performance Galeria de Arte, 1987.
"Poteiro does not like theories about his work. 'I don't know who I am, I only know that I take the clay and make things', he sums up. Somewhat grumpily, he adds: 'I don't know why people complicate things so much'. That is what he is: a storyteller. He carefully draws the secrets, anxieties, hopes, prejudices and generosity of country people. At times, Poteiro becomes a joão-de-barro, the ovenbird that builds its nest with the solidity of an architecture of instinct and creativity. At the root of his work, Poteiro carries that life of a countryman, simple and secure, in which people made manioc flour, washed their clothes, plowed their land, and children played in backyards. This is his experience and his ideal. The sculpture grows, the figures crowd into ever smaller spaces, squeeze around television sets, pile up to the roof tiles; it is the timid protest of the countryman against people who have forgotten how to talk: 'They went silent in front of the TV', he complains".
Etevaldo Dias
DIAS, Etevaldo. A arte dos potes. In: BIENAL INTERNACIONAL DE SÃO PAULO, 21., 1991, São Paulo, SP. Catálogo geral. São Paulo: Fundação Bienal de São Paulo: Marca D'Água, 1991. p. 185.
"Antônio Poteiro is a force of the earth, an energy of nature nourished by the heritage of syncretism; a vigorous manifestation of popular culture, he is a barbaric, wild, animal creative force. That is why earth, in the texture of clay, was the first matter to become the salt of the miracle in his potter's hands. From the utilitarian dimension of the pot, this Poteiro, reinventor of myths and antenna of the race, became the interpreter of the human and rich life of the people. He remained pure and naive, immune to the electronic massification that dumbed down the mass media. From this emerged Poteiro the artist, who had always been vibration and energy, ever since the harsh Minho of his origins. How can one fail to see, in his Deus Balança [God the Scales] and his Deus Salomão [God Solomon], the sense of justice so common in popular life and culture? In his Maria Balaio, Maria Jiló, Maria Doida, the magician of clay evokes memories of all the Marias who live on the outskirts of Latin American countries. In so much green and so many animals, one should not see the standardized pattern of the ecologist on duty, or the echo of an environmentalist fad. Poteiro is, in himself, earth; he understands the silence of the tree germinating in seeds; he knows the language and the being of animals and feels, with the powerful intuition with which he is gifted, that nothing is real outside Man. In Carnival, 'the feast of the flesh', there is no appeal to folklore - there is, rather, the magical moment when favela dwellers become kings and queens; for this demiurge of clay and colors, the sage and poet that he is, also knows that to live amid suffering one needs a little light, wonder and fantasy".
Brasigóis Felício
A. Poteiro, Sousa Netto: cerâmica e pintura. Campinas: MAC - José Pancetti, 1993.
Solo Exhibitions
1976 - Ouro Preto MG - Ceramics and Painting, at Galeria Faop
1978 - Cuiabá MT - Ceramics and Painting, at the UFMT Museum of Popular Art and Culture
1980 - Goiânia GO - Solo, at Casa Grande Galeria de Arte
1981 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Bonino
1982 - Brasília DF - Solo, at Oscar Seraphico Galeria de Arte
1983 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Bonino
1984 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria de Arte São Paulo
1985 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Bonino
1985 - Guayaquil (Ecuador) - Solo, at Fundación Guayasamín
1985 - Quito (Ecuador) - Solo, at Fundación Guayasamín
1985 - Cuenca (Ecuador) - Solo, at Fundación Guayasamín
1986 - Estoril (Portugal) - Solo, at the Casino Art Gallery
1986 - Washington (United States) - Solo, at the Brazilian-American Cultural Institute
1987 - Brasília DF - Solo, at the Embassy of Portugal. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
1987 - Brasília DF - Solo, at Performance Galeria de Arte
1987 - Estoril (Portugal) - Solo, at the Casino Art Gallery
1987 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Versailles Galeria de Arte
1988 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Bonino
1991 - Brasília DF - Solo, Embassy of France. Galeria Le Corbusier
1994 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria de Arte São Paulo
1996 - Belo Horizonte MG - Solo, at Manoel Macedo Escritório de Arte
1996 - Goiânia GO - 33-Year Retrospective: Ceramics and Painting, at Fundação Jaime Câmara. Galeria Casa Grande
1997 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Nara Roesler
2000 - Brasília DF - 500 Anos do Brasil. Por Antonio, o Brasileiro Poteiro [500 Years of Brazil. By Antonio, the Brazilian Poteiro], at Teatro Nacional Cláudio Santoro
Group Exhibitions
1967 - Salvador BA - Ceramics, at Museu de Salvador
1968 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Ceramics, at the Museum of Popular Art
1970 - Goiânia GO - Museu Estadual Professor Zoroastro Artiaga
1972 - New Orleans (United States) - Ceramics group show, at Salomé Gallery
1974 - Como (Italy) - 1st Biennale Internazionale Naïf
1974 - Goiânia GO - 1st Caixego National Salon of Visual Arts - acquisition prize
1975 - Goiânia GO - 2nd Caixego National Salon of Visual Arts - Goiás painter prize
1976 - Goiânia GO - 3rd Caixego National Salon of Visual Arts
1976 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brazilian Popular Art/Jacques de Benqué Collection, at MAM/RJ
1976 - Santo André SP - 9th Santo André Salon of Contemporary Art, at Paço Municipal
1976 - São Paulo SP - National Biennial, at Fundação Bienal
1976 - Goiânia GO - 1st Corporate Salon of Visual Arts
1976 - São Paulo SP - Ceramics of the Sesi Salon, at Sesi
1977 - Goiânia GO - 4th Caixego National Salon of Visual Arts - Funarte Prize for Best Artist of the Central Plateau
1977 - Goiânia GO - 4th Frei Confaloni Art Salon
1978 - Brasília DF - Embassy of Mexico
1978 - Mexico City (Mexico) - Four Artists from Goiás, at the Institute of Higher Studies
1978 - Mexico City (Mexico) - Four Artists from Goiás, at Casa de Cultura de Monterrey
1978 - Mexico City (Mexico) - Four Artists from Goiás, at Instituto Ateneo Fuentes de Saltillo
1978 - Mexico City (Mexico) - Four Artists from Goiás, at Casa de Cultura de Guanajuato
1978 - Mexico City (Mexico) - Four Artists from Goiás, at the National Institute of Fine Arts
1978 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Ceramics and Painting, at the Sesc Activities Center
1978 - San Francisco (United States) - Brazilian Naïf Painters, at Naïve Art Gallery
1978 - São Paulo SP - 1st Latin American Biennial of São Paulo, at Fundação Bienal
1980 - Lombardy (Italy) - 4th Biennale Internazionale Naïf
1980 - Fiera (Italy) - 4th Biennale Internazionale Naïf
1980 - Ente (Italy) - 4th Biennale Internazionale Naïf
1980 - Estoril (Portugal) - Naïf Painting Salon, at the Estoril Casino Art Gallery
1980 - Philippines - Group show, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil
1980 - Romania - Group show, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil
1980 - Goiânia GO - 9 Sculptors, at Casa Grande Galeria de Arte
1980 - Hanover (Germany) - Group show, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil
1980 - Düsseldorf (Germany) - Group show, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil
1981 - São Paulo SP - 16th São Paulo International Biennial, at Fundação Bienal
1982 - Bauru SP - 80 Years of Brazilian Art
1982 - Belo Horizonte MG - 14th Belo Horizonte National Art Salon, at MAP - Belo Horizonte City Hall Grand Prize
1982 - Marília SP - 80 Years of Brazilian Art
1982 - São Paulo SP - 80 Years of Brazilian Art, at MAB/Faap
1983 - Belo Horizonte MG - 80 Years of Brazilian Art, at Fundação Clóvis Salgado. Palácio das Artes
1983 - Campinas SP - 80 Years of Brazilian Art, at MACC
1983 - Curitiba PR - 80 Years of Brazilian Art, at MAC/PR
1983 - Ribeirão Preto SP - 80 Years of Brazilian Art
1983 - Santo André SP - 80 Years of Brazilian Art, at City Hall
1983 - São Paulo SP - 14th Panorama of Contemporary Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1984 - Fortaleza CE - 7th National Salon of Visual Arts
1984 - Goiânia GO - 2nd Goiânia Sculptors, at Itaugaleria
1984 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 7th National Salon of Visual Arts, at MAM/RJ
1985 - Brasília DF - Brasilidade e Independência, at Teatro Nacional Cláudio Santoro
1985 - São Paulo SP - 16th Panorama of Contemporary Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1987 - Paris (France) - Brésil, Art Populaire Contemporain, at the Grand Palais
1987 - Rabat (Morocco) - Brésil-Naïfs, at Galerie Bab Rouah
1988 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - The Fascinating World of Naïf Painters, at Paço Imperial
1988 - Tokyo (Japan) - Exhibition of Brazilian Primitive Painting, at The Ginza Art Space
1990 - Brasília DF - Brasília Prize for Visual Arts, at MAB/DF
1990 - São Paulo SP - Painting, Presence and People in Brazilian Art, at Museu da Casa Brasileira
1991 - São Paulo SP - 21st São Paulo International Biennial, at Fundação Bienal
1992 - Belo Horizonte MG - A. Poteiro, Lorenzato, Rodelnégio, at Manoel Macedo Galeria de Arte
1992 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Viva o Povo Brasileiro, at MAM/RJ
1992 - Tokyo (Japan) - The Ginza Art Space
1993 - Goiânia GO - 3rd Goiás Arts Biennial, at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Goiás
1994 - Juiz de Fora MG - América, at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora. Rectory
1994 - Lisbon (Portugal) - Naïf Painting, at Universidade Católica Portuguesa
1994 - Piracicaba SP - Brazilian Biennial of Naïf Art, at Sesc Piracicaba
1994 - São Paulo SP - Landscapes
1995 - Brasília DF - Collections of Brasília, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Palácio do Itamaraty
1995 - São Paulo SP - Filhos do Abaporu, at Arte do Brasil
1996 - Leverkusen (Germany) - Brasilianische Kunst der Gegenwart, at Bayer AG - Foyer Hochhaus W1
1996 - Dormagen (Germany) - Brasilianische Kunst der Gegenwart, at Bayer AG - Feierabendhaus
1996 - Piracicaba SP - 3rd Naïfs of Brazil Biennial, at Sesc Piracicaba
1996 - São Paulo SP - Contemporary Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1997 - Porto Alegre RS - Caixa Collection Exhibition, at Conjunto Cultural da Caixa
1997 - Porto Alegre RS - Parallel Exhibition, at Museu da Caixa Econômica Federal
1997 - São Paulo SP - Caixa Collection Exhibition, at Conjunto Cultural da Caixa
1998 - Catalão GO - 60 Artists for the 60 Years of the Newspaper O Popular, at Fórum Municipal
1998 - Curitiba PR - Caixa Collection Exhibition, at Conjunto Cultural da Caixa
1998 - Goiânia GO - 60 Artists for the 60 Years of the Newspaper O Popular, at Fundação Jaime Câmara
1998 - Itumbiara GO - 60 Artists for the 60 Years of the Newspaper O Popular, at Casa de Cultura de Itumbiara
1998 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 16th National Salon of Visual Arts, at MAM/RJ
1998 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Caixa Collection Exhibition, at Conjunto Cultural da Caixa
1998 - Rio Verde GO - 60 Artists for the 60 Years of the Newspaper O Popular, at the Municipal Department of Science, Technology and Culture. Palácio da Intendência
2000 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brasilidades, at Centro Cultural Light
2000 - São Paulo SP - Brazil + 500 Rediscovery Exhibition, at Fundação Bienal
2000 - São Paulo SP - Brazilian Ceramics: Building a Language, at Centro Brasileiro Britânico
2001 - Brasília DF - Form-and-Color as Light in the Naïfs, at Galeria Itaú Cultural
2001 - Penápolis SP - Form-and-Color as Light in the Naïfs, at Galeria Itaú Cultural
2002 - Piracicaba SP - 6th Naïfs of Brazil Biennial, at Sesc Piracicaba
2002 - São Paulo SP - Pop Brazil: Popular Art and the Popular in Art, at CCBB
2003 - Porto Alegre RS - Humanidades, at Galeria Tina Zappoli
2003 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Projeto Brazilianart, at Almacén Galeria de Arte
2003 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Caixa Treasures: Brazilian Modern Art in the Caixa Collection, at Conjunto Cultural da Caixa
2003 - São Paulo SP - Paper and Three-Dimensional, at Arvani Arte
2004 - São Paulo SP - Group Show of Contemporary Artists, at Esporte Clube Sírio
Source: Itaú Cultural
