One of the main names of Brazilian modernism, the painter Di Cavalcanti received a posthumous tribute from the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj) last Monday (30). The delivery of the Tiradentes Medal, Alerj’s highest honor, was proposed by the president of the House, deputy André Ceciliano (PT), and delivered to Elizabeth Di Cavalcanti, the artist’s daughter.
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The ceremony took place in the lobby of Alerj’s headquarters, where there is a permanent exhibition with reproductions of some of the painter’s works, which are part of the Funarj/Banerj Collection. The painter, draftsman and muralist died at the age of 79, on October 26, 1976.
“His life was surrounded by love. My father was a great storyteller and that is why his canvases portray the pulsing life of Rio de Janeiro with dedication. In 2006, shortly before my mother passed away, I promised her that I would put the name of my father again in the spotlight and I’ve been fighting for that. Receiving this homage and seeing his works in this hall is a great gift and the result of this effort”, said Elizabeth, the artist’s only daughter.
For the president of Alerj, being able to exhibit works of this size in the Alerj building is a gift for the Fluminense Parliament and for the citizens of Rio de Janeiro.
“Elizabeth authorized the reproduction of the works exhibited here and we are very honored to have paintings like ‘Gente da Ilha (1963)’ and ‘Brasil em Quatro Fases’ at our headquarters. This is a fair tribute that we pay to an artist who has all our admiration and always raised the name of our state in Brazil and in the world”, said Ceciliano.
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The parliamentarian also repudiated the January 8 attacks on the headquarters of the Three Powers, in Brasília, when numerous works of art were destroyed, including the painting ‘A Mulata’, by Di Cavalcanti. The screen was the target of seven perforations that caused visible tears.
With nine thousand works produced throughout his life, the carioca Emiliano Augusto Cavalcanti de Albuquerque was the creator of the Modern Art Week of 1922, being an internationally recognized artist. Over the years, Di Cavalcanti has lived in São Paulo and in Europe, where he met artists such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, who influenced his style.
But, according to the president of the Arts Foundation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Funarj), Jorge Roberto Gifford, Di Cavalcanti never forgot Rio. “He was a carioca at heart. His works reflect the diversity of its residents and the joy of this city,” said Gifford.
Source: BdF Rio de Janeiro
Editing: Eduardo Miranda
