Modern Muiraquitãs? The historiography about the use of Native Brazilians productions in the arts and architecture made in Brasil (20th century)

• Grant number: 23/13056-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Architecture and Town Planning - Fundamentals of Architecture and Urbanism
• Principal Investigator: Renata Maria de Almeida Martins
• Grantee: Maira de Freitas Cavenaghi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FAU). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/06538-9 - Baroque-açu: Portuguese America in the art geography of the global South, AP.JP2

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to collect historical sources about the main artists and artistic communities that mentioned aspects of the Native Brazilians' culture in art objects and architectures made in Brazil in the 20th century. The object is to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge about the support of Native Brazilians for the many "Modernisms", addressing the erasures of that time. Because of the interest in the Native Brazilians' culture promoted by the nationalist sentiment, by the Semana de Arte Moderna de 1922 (Art Modern Week in 1922) or by the archaeological excavations on Amazon, many artists resorted to the natives patterns and objects as inspiration and reference, such as the anthropomorphic Marajo's urns or the muiraquitãs, green rock amulets produced in the area of the Tapajós River, both of this places located in Pará. However, despite the historical relevance, the studies about this subject still are not enough and frequently are limited to the analysis of few known artists, considered more "established", sometimes erasing women and hiding descendants of Natives, Africans or riverside dwellers (ribeirinhos). In addition, this research intends to collaborate directly with the objectives of the project "Jovem Pesquisador fase 2" funded by FAPESP at FAUUSP, named "Barroco-Açu. A América Portuguesa na Geografia Artística do Sul Global", by highlighting the Amazon natives protagonism, of all times, in the production of art and architecture in Brazil.