An Art of Resilience

An Art of Resilience showcases some of the most creative manifestations of popular art in the world, particularly from Brazil. By presenting works by the legendary Mestre Vitalino and other artists from Pernambuco, the Jequitinhonha Valley, and Niterói, the book fosters awareness of this amazing art of the people.

This new publication documents Rolf Fehlbaum's collection of popular art from Brazil. They are on display in the »Wunderkammer«, a gallery of special objects from the world of popular culture, located on the Vitra Campus. Rather than representing the full scope of Brazilian popular art, this collection is based on specific personal choices that were formed by the first pieces, which were by Mestre Vitalino, Zé Caboclo, Adolton, and Ulisses.

While most of the objects deal individually with different aspects of life, there are three groups of objects that are treated separately: the Bumba Meu Boi spectacle, the Maracatu carnival procession, and the cruel raids of the cangaceiros around Lampião and Maria Bonita. The groups are accompanied by essays written by the Brazilian anthropologists Ricardo Lima and Guacira Waldeck.