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About
Anna Bella Geiger is widely acknowledged as one of the most important artists working in Brazil today. A pioneer of video art in the country, she was also one the great exponents of first generation Latin-American conceptual artists. Her trajectory, continuously marked by ruptures and a multiplicity of themes and methods, began in the 1950’s and early 1960’s. Chiefly linked to informal abstractionism, these early works prompted an improvised and spontaneous practice, with a rigorous concern for form.
Later in her career, she dedicated herself to metal engravings and to the use of gouache, which activated her notorious Visceral Phase, and was inspired by the movement known as Nova Figuração (New Figuration). Composed from cut metal plates, the images from this period blend discussions of engraving techniques with the organic reality of the human body to reference geopolitical representations, as though the fragmentation of our bodily parts could give rise to possible maps. At this point, the study of cartography became a definitive field of interest for the artist, problematizing notions of territory, frontiers and cultural hegemony.
By the 1970’s, Geiger’s production assumed an experimental tone, which the artist recognized as the only possible mode of art making – breaking with the orientations of the modern period and radically exploring contemporary practices. Beginning to adopt methods such as photomontage, photogravure, photocopy and video, her thematic ambitions expanded in equal measure, resulting in pieces committed to critical rhetoric and strong political connotations. During this time, the artist also focused her dialog on anthropology and the study of the image, developing her “geo-poetry” and anticipating crucial points of contention in the public debate, both globally and within Brazil.
From the early 1990’s on, Geiger further expanded her material repertoire. The distinctive series, Fronteiriços (Borderlines), where map formations and elements such as orthogonal lines and diagrams appear inside old iron archive drawers filled with wax, stands out within this period. Metaphors of knowledge and memory, the boxes, dismantled from their map cabinets, refer to the fluidity with which circuits allow for the diffusion and crystallization of certain objects and relationships, fixing them onto the surface of social imaginary. Today, Geiger continues to work with freshness, producing collages using a variety of media that revisits and explores her main themes.
Anna Bella Geiger (1933, Rio de Janeiro) lives and works in Rio de Janeiro.
Her most recent solo exhibitions include Native Brazil/Alien Brazil, Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem (2022); Native Brazil/Alien Brazil, S.M.A.K, Gent (2021); Brasil nativo/Brasil alienígena, MASP, São Paulo (2019); Maps under the sky of Rio de Janeiro, Zachęta – National Gallery of Art, Warsaw (2018); Anna Bella Geiger: Here is The Center, Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, New York (2018); Gavetas de Memórias, Caixa Cultural São Paulo, São Paulo (2018); Geografía Física y Humana, MUNTREF, Buenos Aires (2018), La Casa Encendida, Madrid (2017), Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, Seville (2016).
Additionally, her work has been included in institutional group exhibitions such as Planet B – Climate change and the new sublime, Palazzo Bollani, Venice (2022); Radical Women, Latin American Art, The Brooklyn Museum, New York (2018); América Latina 1960 - 2013, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris (2013); Vidéo Vintage, Centre Pompidou, Paris (2012); Modern Women Single Channel 5 Artists, MoMA PS1, New York (2011); Adding it up: Acquisitons 70-95, MoMA, New York (1995); 39th Venice Biennale, Venice (1980); PROSPECTIVA 74, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de São Paulo, São Paulo (1974); São Paulo Biennials, São Paulo (1961 - 1967).
CV
Education
BA, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
History and Sociology of Art, New York University, USA
History of Art with Hannah Levy Deinhart, Metropolitan Museum, New York, USA
Solo Shows
2022
Native Brazil/Alien Brazil, Frans Hals, Haarlem, The Netherlands
2021
Native Brazil/Alien Brazil, S.M.A.K, Gent, Belgium
2019
Aqui é o centro, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Brasil nativo/Brasil alienígena, MASP, São Paulo, Brazil
2018
Maps under the sky of Rio de Janeiro, Zachęta – National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, Poland
Geografia Física y Humana, MUNTREF, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Anna Bella Geiger: Here is The Center, Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, New York, USA
Gavetas de Memórias, Caixa Cultural São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Human Landscape, Mendes Wood DM Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
2017
Geografía física y humana, La Casa Encendida, Madrid, Spain
2016
Circa MMXVI New and previews works, Mendes Wood DM, São Paulo, Brazil
Gaveta de Memórias, Espaço Cultural Municipal Sérgio Porto, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Physical and Human Geography, Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, Seville, Spain
Anna Bella Geiger – Gavetas de Memórias, Caixa Cultural Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
2015
Gaveta de Memórias, Centro Cultural Oduvaldo Vianna Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2014
Circa MMXI, Centro Cultural dos Correios, São Paulo, Brazil
Circa MMXIV: Imagination is an Act of Freedom, Mendes Wood DM, São Paulo, Brazil
Circa MMXI: nem mais nem menos, Correios, Brasília, Brazil
Circa MMXIX: nem mais nem menos, Galería Aural, Alicante, Spain
2013
Circa 2013, Galeria Murilo Castro, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2012
Nem mais nem menos, Galeria Artur Fidalgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Retrospectiva da Coleção João Sattamini, MAC – Museu de Arte Contemporânea, Niterói, Brazil
2011
Circa MMXI, SESC Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2010 – 2009
Anna Bella Geiger – Vídeos 1974/2009, Oi Futuro RJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2006
Projeto Respiração 4º edição, Fundação Eva Klabin, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2005
On a Certain Piece of Land, The Red Gate Gallery, Beijing, China
Skulpturen, Zeichnungen, Galerie Bernd Slutzky, Frankfurt, Germany
2004
Obras em Arquipelágo, Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo, Brazil
2003
Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2001
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1999
Galerie Bernd Slutzky, Frankfurt, Germany
1998
Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1997
Museu de Arte Moderna – MAM, São Paulo, Brazil
1996
Museu de Arte Moderna – MAM, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1995
Anna Bella Geiger – Arbeiten von 1975 bis 1995, Galerie Bernd Slutzky, Frankfurt, Germany
1994
Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1993
Galeria Ibeu Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1987
Espaço Capital Arte Contemporânea, Brasilia, Brazil
1985
Galeria Saramenha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1984
Brazilian Centre, London, United Kigdom
Galerie Irene Maeder, Munich, Germany
1982
Guggenheim Fellowship, New York, United States
1978
PROJECTIONS XXI, Museum of Modern Art, New York, United States
1975
Museu de Arte Moderna – MAM, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1969
Columbia University, New York, United States
1965
Galeria Goeldi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1963
European Gallery, New York, United States
1954
Eglington Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Group Shows
2023
Elzéard Bouffier, TheMerode, Brussels, Belgium
2022
Planet B – Climate change and the new sublime, Palazzo Bollani, Venice, Italy
2020
Mecarõ. Amazonia in the Petitgas Collection, Montpellier Contemporain, Montpellier, France
2018
Anna & Lygia & Mira & Wanda, MAC Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Verzuimd Braziel: Brasil Desamparado, Prêmio Marcantonio Vilaça, MAC Goiás, Goiania, Brazil
Radical Women, Latin American Art, The Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
A View from Buenos Aires, Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom
2017
Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960–1985, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, USA
Verboamérica, MALBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
What Was Inside That Leather Case?, Ksiegarnia Wystawa, Cracóvia, Poland
Histórias da Sexualidade, MASP, São Paulo, Brazil
2016
Tudo Joia, Bergamin & Gomide, São Paulo, Brazil
Mycorial Theatre, Pivô, São Paulo, Brazil
Humanas Interlocuções, Fundação Vera Chaves Barcellos, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Mapas, Cartas, Guias e Portulanos, Sala de Arte Santander, São Paulo, Brazil
Aquilo Que Nos Une, Caixa Cultural Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Filme e Videos De Artistas Na Coleção Itaú Cultural, Itaú Cultural, São Paulo, Brazil
2015
Filme e Videos De Artistas Na Coleção Itaú Cultural, Fundação Iberê Camargo, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Transmissions: Art in Eastern Europe and Latin America,1960-1980, MOMA, New York, United Kigdom
Voces Latin American Photgraphy 1980-2015, Michael Hoppen Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Kiti Ka'Aeté, The Modern Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Grito de Libertad,1st Bienal Internacional de Assunção, Asunción, Paraguay
Biennial of Americas, Denver, USA
A Queda do Céu, Paço das Artes, São Paulo, Brazil
Tarsila e Mulheres Modernas no Rio, Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2014
Ouro – Um fio que costura a arte do Brasil, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Anna Bella Geiger and her students, Videos, Ciclo: On the Edge: Brazilian Film Experiments of the 1960s and Early 1970s, Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
Concept After Concept: Before Normal, Museet for Samtidskunst, Copenhagen, Denmark
2013
América Latina Photographs 1960/2013, Foundation Cartier, Paris, France
Chaco'13, Galería Aural, Santiago, Chile
2012
Vidéo Vintage 1963–1983, Zentrum für Kunst und (ZKM), Karlsruhe, Germany
Vidéo Vintage, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
La Idea de América Latina, Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo de Sevilla, Spain
Alternative Orders-A glimpse of Brazilian Art Tro-pi-cal, Akershus Kunstsenter, Norway
Gravura em campo expandido, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
2011
Europália – A RUA – MUHKA, Antuérpia e Art in Brazil 1950–2011, BOZAR, Brussels, Belgium
Modern Women Single Channel 5 artists, MoMA PS1, New York, USA
Como Nos Miram, Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea (CGAC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Geopoéticas, 8ª Bienal do Mercosul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
2010
Mapas Invisíveis (Zona Portuária), Caixa Cultural, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
OS 70’s-Galeria Progetti, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2009 – 2010
Elles@Pompidou, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
La Mancha Humana: O conceptual nas colleciones, Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea (CGAC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
ESPAI de LECTURA 1: BRASIL, MACBA, Barcelona, Spain
2008
Fotografia além da fotografia, Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
KRAJ-OPOLE-Homeland, Galeria Sztuki, Włocławek, Poland
ARCO – Feira Internacional de Arte Contemporânea, Madrid, Spain
NÓS, Museu da República, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2007
Arte Como Questão, Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo, Brazil
Whenever it starts it is the right time, Frankfurt Kunstverein, Frankfurt, Germany
Role play: Feminist Art revisited 1960–1980, Galerie Lelong, New York, USA
2006
First Generation: Arte e Imagem em Movimento, Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain
2004
Trienal Poligráfica de San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2000
Brazilian Contemporary Art, Museu de Arte Moderna, Beijing, China
Cartografias del Deseo, Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain
II Biennial of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
5 éme Biennale Internationale de Photographie, Liège, Belgium
1998
6th Cuenca Biennial, Cuenca, Ecuador 24th São Paulo Biennial, São Paulo, Brazil
RE-ALIGNING Vision: Currents in South American Drawing, 6 museums in USA, USA
1997
1st Bienal do Mercosul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
1995
Adding it up: Acquisitons 70–95, Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
1993
Ultramodern: the art of contemporary Brazil, The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, USA
1989
20th São Paulo Biennial, São Paulo, Brazil
1988
The Latin American Spirit, Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York, USA
1985
18th São Paulo Biennial, São Paulo, Brazil
1984
Portraits of a Country: Brazilian Modern, Barbican Gallery, London, United Kingdom
1981
16th São Paulo Biennial, São Paulo, Brazil
1980
Kunstenaarsboeken, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
39th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
1975
Video Art, Museum of Contemporary Arts, Chicago, USA
Video Art, The Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, USA
Multimedia II, Richard Bottinelli Gallery, Kassel, Germany
1974
6º Panorama de Arte Atual Brasileira, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil
PROSPECTIVA 74, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
1971
3º Panorama de Arte Atual Brasileira, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil
1969
1º Panorama de Arte Atual Brasileira, Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil
1968
Young Brazilian, Art-DEMARCO Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland
1967
Biennale du Jeune, Paris, France
9th São Paulo Biennial, São Paulo, Brazil
1966
1st Bienal de Artes da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
1965
8th São Paulo Biennial, São Paulo, Brazil
1963
Brazilian Art Today, Royal College of Art, London, United Kingdom
7th São Paulo Biennial, São Paulo, Brazil
1962
1st Salão Panamericano de Cuba, Havana, Cuba
1961
6th São Paulo Biennial, São Paulo, Brazil
1953
Primeira exposição de Arte Abstrata Brasileira, Hotel Quitandinha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1952
1º Salão de Arte Moderna, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Awards
2011
Prêmio IBRAM de Artes Visuais, Brazil
2010
Prêmio SESC Rio de Fomento à Cultura, Brazil
2010
Bolsa Vitae de Artes Plásticas, São Paulo, Brazil
1982
Guggenheim Fellowship, New York, USA
Collections
Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom
Getty Collection, Los Angeles, USA
The Fogg Collection, Harvard, Boston, USA
Public Library of New York, New York, USA
Biblioteca Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
MACBA, Barcelona, Spain
Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Museu de Arte Contemporânea, São Paulo, Brazil
MUHKA, Antwerp, Belgium
Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain
Exhibitions
Publications
Native Brazil/Alien Brazil
Anna Bella Geiger 2020
Coleções de Artistas
Anna Bella Geiger 2017
Contemporary Art Brazil
Anna Bella Geiger, Paulo Nazareth 2012
Anna Bella Geiger: passagens conceituais
Anna Bella Geiger 2008
Anna Bella Geiger: territórios, passagens, situações
Anna Bella Geiger 2007
