José Moraes (Rio de Janeiro RJ 1921 - São Paulo SP 2003)
Painter, sculptor, printmaker and illustrator.
He graduated in painting in 1941 from the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes - Enba [National School of Fine Arts] in Rio de Janeiro. Alongside his university studies, he took painting lessons with Quirino Campofiorito (1902-1993). In 1942, he became an assistant to Candido Portinari (1903-1962) in Brodosqui and, in 1945, worked with Portinari on the panel for the Chapel of Saint Francis of Assisi, designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907 - 2012), in Belo Horizonte. That same year, he held his first solo exhibition at the Instituto dos Arquitetos do Brasil - IAB/RJ in Rio de Janeiro. In the 1940s, he won awards at four editions of the Salão Nacional de Belas Artes - SNBA [National Salon of Fine Arts]. With the foreign travel prize received at the 55th Salão Nacional de Belas Artes in 1949, he went to Italy, where he stayed from 1950 to 1951 studying mural painting. Back in Rio de Janeiro, he devoted himself to mosaics and frescoes until 1958, when he moved to São Paulo. In 1967, he became a professor at the Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado - Faap. In 1971, he trained further in screenprinting with Michel Caza in Paris, returning there on three other occasions for the same purpose. He also did internships in lithography with Michel Potier at the École des Beaux-Arts, Paris, and with Eugène Shenker at the Centre de Gravure Contemporaine, Geneva.
Critiques
"José Moraes always sought to ground his work on solid foundations and, from the early 1940s, to confront the contradictions common to most Brazilian artists. He sought a bridge between the European pictorial tradition and our present here. He chose figuration as his starting point and has remained faithful to it to this day, despite having been exposed to all the information on the main movements of recent decades".
M. Babinski (1977)
MORAES, José. José Moraes. São Paulo: Galeria de Arte André, 1983.
"... It must be stressed, however, that the vigor of his work is present in all the series he has pursued with resolute mastery. In his pictures there is technique, color and, above all, that 'it' of someone who goes to the easel determined to create a work of art. This is not a matter of pondering the struggle (which does not exist) between figuration and abstraction. What prevails is art, good execution, which is what truly counts".
Ivo Zanini
ZANINI, Ivo. Folha de S. Paulo, São Paulo, 1979. In: MORAES, José. José Moraes. São Paulo: Galeria de Arte André, 1983.
"From a thematic point of view, José Moraes (who always remained faithful to the figuration of his youth in Rio de Janeiro) practiced landscape, the figure (including portraits), compositions and still lifes. Strongly influenced at first (...) by Cândido Portinari, he also felt the impact of Lasar Segall's art at the latter's exhibition at the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes in 1943, admiring above all the articulation of forms, achieved through elaborate color modulations, and the suffering social themes. The influence hovering over all the others, however, was that of Cézanne, already visible in the series of nudes of 1943 and becoming more pronounced around 1945. One of his most admirable paintings is in fact called Homenagem a Cézanne [Homage to Cézanne]; it dates from 1945 and shows a corner of a studio with apples set in a characteristically Cézannian space, with the corner of an easel on the right and, behind it, a portrait of Cézanne, and in the background the landscape, through an open window. The Cézannian note is still strong in Paisagem de Bagé [Bagé Landscape], of 1946, blending, toward the end of the decade, with a growing realism (Modelo Negra [Black Model], 1949), and reappearing, though attenuated, some ten years later (Paisagem de São Paulo [São Paulo Landscape], 1958). Finally, from the 1960s onward, the artist gradually developed a more personal language, above all in compositions with objects and in the numerous Paisagens de Embu [Embu Landscapes]".
José Roberto Teixeira Leite
LEITE, José Roberto Teixeira. Dicionário crítico da pintura no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro: Artlivre, 1988. p.332-333.
Testimonials
"(...) I only learned about the Week of '22 and Portinari in master Campofiorito's classes. It was something unknown that took me by surprise. Other dazzlements followed, and I entered that world still shy and soon excessively involved. The great Portinari exhibition; the fantastic show of 100 years of French art and the 'discovery' of Cézanne, and with it the meaning of painting. To all this was added the acquaintance and friendship, a long friendship, of Portinari. Portinari used to say that the pleasure of painting is almost visceral. He would paint whistling with contentment. (...) I take pleasure in the act of painting, in moving whoever is on the other side - the viewer - and in teaching those who want to learn".
José Moraes
MORAES, José. José Moraes. São Paulo: Galeria de Arte André, 1983.
Collections
Museum of Modern Art - MoMA - Nova York (Estados Unidos)
Solo Exhibitions
1945 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at IAB/RJ
1946 - Bagé RS - Solo
1946 - Pelotas RS - Solo
1947 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at IAB/RJ
1948 - Porto Alegre RS - Solo, at Correio do Povo
1962 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Antiquário Chico-Rei
1964 - Belo Horizonte MG - Solo, at Casa do Artista Plástico
1965 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Grupiara
1966 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Décor
1967 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Atrium
1969 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Décor
1970 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Décor
1970 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Cosme Velho
1970 - Uberlândia MG - Solo, at Galeria Arc
1972 - Uberlândia MG - Solo, at UFU
1973 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Delaparra
1974 - Campinas SP - Solo, at Galeria Girassol
1976 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Delaparra
1977 - Uberlândia MG - Solo, at Uberlândia Club
1978 - Uberlândia MG - Solo, at Departamento de Artes Plásticas da UFU - Funarte
1979 - Bagé RS - Solo, at Museu de Gravura Brasileira
1979 - São Paulo SP - 40 Years: Painting - Drawing - Printmaking, at MAM/SP
1980 - Porto Alegre RS - Solo, at Galeria Cambona
1981 - Cataguases MG - Solo, at Gal-Art
1982 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Alberto Bonfiglioli
1983 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria de Arte André
1984 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Alberto Bonfiglioli
1986 - Goiânia GO - Solo, at Oficina Galeria de Arte
1986 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Tema Arte Contemporânea
1987 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Basílio
1987 - Uberlândia MG - Mais 10 Anos [10 More Years], at UFU
1988 - Porto Alegre RS - Solo, at Galeria Mosaico
1989 - Brasília DF - Solo, at Galeria de Arte Dreer
1990 - Lisbon (Portugal) - Aquarelas Íntimas [Intimate Watercolors], at Stelier 15
1991 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria de Arte André
1991 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Sesc Paulista
1992 - Porto Alegre RS - Solo, at Galeria Mosaico
1994 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria de Arte André
1995 - Brasília DF - Solo, at Cavalier Galeria de Arte
1995 - Vila Franca de Xira (Portugal) - Solo, at Museu de Alhandra
1996 - Porto Alegre RS - Solo, at Galeria Mosaico
Group Exhibitions
1939 - Araraquara SP - 4th Araraquara Salon
1939 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Group show, at Hotel Palace
1940 - Araraquara SP - 5th Araraquara Salon
1940 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 46th National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA - silver medal in painting and honorable mention in drawing
1940 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Black and White Salon, organizado pela Associação dos Artistas Brasileiros
1941 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 47th National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA - silver medal in painting and drawing
1942 - New York (United States) - Latin American Art
1942 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 48th National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA
1942 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Group show, at Enba
1942 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Dissidentes da Enba [Enba Dissidents], at the ABI headquarters
1943 - London (England) - Brazilian Art, at Royal Academy
1943 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 49th National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA
1944 - London (England) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Royal Academy of Arts
1944 - Norwich (United Kingdom) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Norwich Castle and Museum
1944 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 50th National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA - domestic travel prize
1944 - Belo Horizonte MG - Modern Art Exhibition, at Edifício Mariana
1945 - Bath (United Kingdom) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Victory Art Gallery
1945 - Bristol (United Kingdom) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery
1945 - Edinburgh (United Kingdom) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at National Gallery
1945 - Glasgow (United Kingdom) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Kelvingrove Art Gallery
1945 - Manchester (United Kingdom) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Manchester Art Gallery
1945 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 51st National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA - domestic travel prize
1946 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 52nd National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA
1947 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 53rd National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA
1948 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 54th National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA
1949 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 55th National Salon of Fine Arts - foreign travel prize
1949 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Municipal Art Salon
1949 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - National Salon of Fine Arts - travel prize to Europe
1950 - Genoa (Italy) - Group show
1952 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 1st National Salon of Modern Art
1952 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Art Salon of the Curicica Sanatorium Complex
1953 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 2nd National Salon of Modern Art
1954 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 3rd National Salon of Modern Art, at Palácio da Cultura
1955 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 4th National Salon of Modern Art
1956 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 5th National Salon of Modern Art
1957 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 6th National Salon of Modern Art
1958 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 7th National Salon of Modern Art, at MAM/RJ
1958 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Salão de Arte A Mãe e a Criança [Mother and Child Art Salon]
1959 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - National Salon of Modern Art
1969 - São Paulo SP - 11 Artists, at Galeria Azulão
1969 - São Paulo SP - 1st Panorama of Current Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1970 - Porto Alegre RS - 25 Paintings from the MAM Collection, at UFRGS
1970 - São Paulo SP - 2nd Panorama of Current Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1971 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Group show, at Galeria Marte-21
1971 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brazilian Drawing through Illustration, at Galeria Delaparra
1973 - São Paulo SP - 5th Panorama of Current Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1975 - São Bernardo do Campo SP - Group show
1976 - São Paulo SP - 8th Panorama of Current Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1977 - São Paulo SP - 9th Panorama of Current Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1978 - São Paulo SP - 16th Art and Ecological Thought, at Cetesb
1979 - Buenos Aires (Argentina) - Latin American Printmaking Triennial
1979 - São Paulo SP - Drawing as an Instrument, at Cooperativa de Artistas Plásticos
1980 - Penápolis SP - 4th Noroeste Visual Arts Salon, at Fundação Educacional de Penápolis. Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Penápolis - guest artist
1980 - São Paulo SP - 6 de São Paulo [6 from São Paulo], at Galeria Selection Arte
1983 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 6th National Visual Arts Salon, at MAM/RJ
1984 - São Paulo SP - Tradition and Rupture: A Synthesis of Brazilian Art and Culture, at Fundação Bienal
1985 - Penápolis SP - 6th Noroeste Visual Arts Salon, at Fundação Educacional de Penápolis. Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Penápolis
1986 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - A Nova Flor de Abacate [The New Avocado Flower], Grupo Guignard-1943 and Os Dissidentes-1942, at Galeria de Arte Banerj
1987 - São Paulo SP - 20th Contemporary Art Exhibition, at Chapel Art Show
1988 - Vitória ES - Dez Lustros [Ten Lustrums]: Deane, Moraes, Scliar, at Ana Terra Galeria de Arte
1989 - São Bernardo do Campo SP - Visões da Borda do Campo [Visions of Borda do Campo], at Marusan Galeria de Arte
1990 - Moscow (Soviet Union, now Russia) - Screenprint Group Show
1997 - São Paulo SP - Christmas Group Exhibition, at Galeria de Arte André
2001 - São Paulo SP - 4 Decades, at Nova André Galeria
2001 - São Paulo SP - Museu de Arte Brasileira: 40 Years, at MAB/Faap
2002 - São Paulo SP - Landscapes of the Imagination, at Nova André Galeria
Posthumous Exhibitions
2004 - São Paulo SP - New Acquisitions: 1995 - 2003, at MAB/Faap
2004 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Nova André Galeria
2004 - Brasília DF - O Olhar Modernista de JK [JK's Modernist Eye], at Ministério das Relações Exteriores. Palácio do Itamaraty
Source: Itaú Cultural
