The Rio World The Rio World (June 25, 2004)

by Terry Tang

If you fantasize about spending this summer dancing to a rhythmic samba or exploring natural landscapes in the Amazon, look no farther than your own backyard.

Inspired by the Palo Alto Art Center's latest gallery show, a profusion of all things Brazil has swept the city. From Brazilian song to mask-making, multiple opportunities to enjoy the tastes and sounds of South America's largest nation will be at Palo Alto's fingertips.

"From Brazil: Palmo Quadrado," the traveling exhibition that spun off the festivity flurry, will open this Sunday. Both rising and well-known Brazilian artists contributed to the collection of 46 images on paper and photographs. The contemporary artwork will run in conjunction with "Indigenous Arts from the Amazon Basin" at the Art Center. Watercolors, newsprint and diaper cloth are just some examples of the creative tools demonstrated by the artists.

The exhibit's Portuguese title, however, points to the common characteristic each visual shares. An everyday expression in Brazil, "palmo quadrado" translates to "one hand squared" and is used to convey an estimated size. In the case of the exhibition, each work had to be no larger than a 12-inch square. For Bob Nugent, a professor of art at Sonoma State University and the show's curator, the size requirement spawned an enthralling cross-section of work.

"Every piece was like a present," Nugent said. "Some, I knew who sent them because of the way they looked. Others, it was a complete surprise. That was one of the fun things about the exhibition."

Instead of searching through studios, Nugent put out a call two years ago in Brazil for contemporary artists to submit slides representing their work. A bi-national company called Associação Alumni, which strives to promote education and cultural exchange, assisted him in organizing the entries. From there, chosen artists created or re-worked a piece especially for the exhibition.

"Some are comments on the government but most of them are pretty subtle," Nugent said. "You'd have to know a lot more about the artists...some are comments on the loss of natural terrain. All those things are filtered into pieces as you see them."

Many of the works succeed as arresting artwork but also lie within a social context. For example, in Camille Kachani's "Marilyn Manson News," a collage of newspaper shreds unites to form a dead-on impression of the goth-rocker's face. The subject and material choice inevitably provoke curiosity about the pervasiveness of pop culture in Brazil -- even the pop that shocks Americans.

"I think that in some ways, if they looked at the work, many of the pieces will say 'this could've come from America. And that's appropriate," Nugent said.

Since visiting Brazil in 1984, Nugent has been fascinated by the art and the people. He began establishing exhibitions for artistic urbanites and Indians. After more than 20 trips, including to the Amazon Basin and the Pantanal, he still considers the country an artistic Mecca where he can "recharge the batteries." A major attraction is the nation's status as an ethnic melting pot; the artists in the exhibition embody a variety of cultures and religions.

"Several pieces come from the interior, the north, where you have a strong African and Indian influence," Nugent said. "(There are) works from the cities, where you have a European background. And there's a heavy German influence in the south. You can travel all around country and get a very different feeling."

Those viewing "Indigenous Arts from the Amazon Basin" will be treated to household and ritual objects that represent 20 tribes. Signe Mayfield, Art Center curator, thought a sampling of the diverse populations in the Amazon region would make an ideal complement to Nugent's showcase. She hopes visitors will see how even the most isolated tribes are quite innovative.

"I think what comes through too to the public is the role of ornamentation," Mayfield said. "It's not in vibrant colors...they're objects which really use natural materials. They show a wonderful sense of resourcefulness."

Plans for the collection's arrival in Palo Alto were set in motion by the longtime friendship between the two curators. A previous contributor to some of Mayfield's group exhibitions, Nugent informed her of his interest in putting together a show of contemporary Brazilian art. Although Mayfield expressed interest from the start, outside exhibits don't often come to the Art Center.

"We rarely subscribe to traveling exhibitions," Mayfield said. "One, I think in part it's because the Bay Area is such a rich candy store of resources. And two, whenever you take on a traveling show, it goes a little beyond your budget."

While the Palo Alto Art Center Foundation was able to subsidize the fees, budgeting continues to be a quandary. The center recently lost funding from the California Arts Council. According to Art Center Director Linda Craighead, the facility received a cumulative sum of $200,000 over the last three years. They depended on the endowments to support children's programs like Cultural Kaleidoscope and Project Look!. Now, said Craighead, the staff devotes more time to writing grant proposals and strategizing how to increase the budget.

The fund-raising dinner, Festa! Brasil, will probably go on record as one of the more entertaining strategies. With the help of several corporate donors, including the Palo Alto Weekly, the Art Center will be transformed into a "night of tropical splendor" tomorrow evening.

A tent big enough to accommodate 300 patrons will take up most of the parking lot. The decor, overseen by design firm partners David Turner and John Martin, promises to be a colorful parade of ostrich feathers, streamers and paper flowers.

For $250, guests can feast on authentic cuisine and sip a caipirinha, the "national drink" made of fresh lime, ice and sugar cane rum. They will also get a gallery tour and samba lessons. Twenty-four artists, recruited by Art Center volunteers, donated specially made Carnaval masks for a silent auction.

"I was very honored to be asked and to do a mask," said local artist Judith Content, who previously served on the Art Center board. "This was just such a great opportunity for me. I love to give back to the arts center any time I can."

Meanwhile, the Art Center plans to give back more through its Community Sundays series. Thanks to a grant from Applied Materials and Arts Council Silicon Valley, almost every weekend this summer will feature a special film screening, cooking demonstration or an arts-and-crafts workshop. Locals have come to highly anticipate the free Sunday programs.

"We try, on any culturally-based exhibition, to expand our audience's experience," Craighead said. "Not only with visual arts, but with music and food. We've done all kinds of things depending on the country."

In representing Brazil, the Art Center already has harbingers of success in the Consul General of Brazil and his wife. Based with the San Francisco consulate, the couple attended the block party and will be at the Festa fete. However, they've already given a thumbs-up during a sneak peek of the Art Center. The staff and volunteers hope the public responds in the same fashion and gains some global perspective in the process.

"I think it's great when you can get little inklings of culture in a very fun way," Mayfield said. "We hear so much terrible stuff on the news. This is a nice antidote."

WHAT : "From Brazil: Palmo Quadrado," an exhibition of 46 works on paper and photographs created by 46 contemporary Brazilian artists and "Indigenous Arts from the Amazon Basin," exhibition of objects from various indigenous tribes.
WHERE : Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road in Palo Alto
WHEN : From June 27 through Sept. 5. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday evening 7 to 9 p.m.; Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
COST : Admission is free.
INFO : For more information on the exhibition, workshops or the Festa! Brasil dinner, call (650) 329-2366

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