Lygia Pape retrospective at the Serpentine Gallery

Often overshadowed by contemporary Brazilian art superstars such as Ernesto Neto, Vik Muniz and Cildo Meireles, Lygia Pape is a somewhat forgotten genius. The dynamic artist, who was still working a week before she died in 2004 (aged 77), was one of the founding members of the important Neo Concretist movement in the 1960s and a key influencer on the emergence of contemporary art in Brazil. Now, a much-deserved retrospective of her work - the first major Pape exhibition in the UK - has arrived at London's Serpentine Gallery this week.
Entitled 'Magnetized Spaces', the show is co-produced by Madrid's Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (where the retrospective first made its debut) and Projeto Lygia Pape, created by the artist before her death, and now run by Paula Pape, her daughter and co-curator of 'Magnetized Spaces'.
In an essay in the catalogue accompanying the exhibition, Manuel J. Borja-Villel and Teresa Velázquez say of the Brazilian artist: 'The nature of her work's trajectory has eluded a number of critics and art historians: it is multifarious and difficult to classify, frequently going off in new directions and then returning to old territory.'
This certainly is reflected in 'Magnetized Spaces', where the breadth of Pape's oeuvre shines through in a coming together of well-known and previously unseen works, spanning sculpture, performance, paintings, films, poems, engravings and collages. Notably present are her ballets and performances such as 'Divisor' and 'O ovo (The Egg)', as well as the immense 'Livro do Tempo (Book of Time)', an installation that expands the concept of the book in relation to architecture and experience.
'London was a city that Lygia Pape had been to twice in the 1950s. She had had a great admiration for the people and their openness to new ideas, so the inspiration dates back to many years ago', says her daughter Paula as she reflects on the decision to take the show to London. There is no doubt anticipation as to if and when Pape will be taking the show elsewhere after its run at the Serpentine; 'Yes, to Brazil, finally!' she concludes.
'Espaços imantados (Magnetized Spaces)', 1995/2011
Courtesy of Projeto Lygia Pape and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
Installation view of 'Tteia (Web)'
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
'Roda dos Prazeres (Wheels of Pleasure)'
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
'Untitled. Tecelar (Weavings)', 1953
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
'Untitled. Tecelar (Weavings)', 1956
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
'Untitled. Tecelar (Weavings)', 1958
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
'Livro da arquitectura (Book of Architecture)', 1959-60
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
'Livro da arquitectura (Book of Architecture)', 1959-60
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
'Trio do embalo maluco (Crazy Rocking Trio)', 1968
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
'Untitled. Tecelar (Weavings)', 1957
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
'Untitled', 1954–56
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
ADDRESS
Kensington Gardens
104 Bayswater Rd
London W2 3XA
-
Monument Athens is a Greek architectural icon reborn
Monument Athens is a hotel housed in a historic Greek structure redesigned by local architecture studio MPlusM
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Bee my love: Chaumet draws honeycombs in fluid gold and diamonds
Chaumet’s new additions to the ‘Bee My Love’ jewellery collection nod to the jewellery maison’s heritage
By Hannah Silver • Published
-
Discover the newest jewel on the Amalfi Coast
The Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel draws from traditional design codes
By Hannah Silver • Published