Richard Paul Lohse in the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art of the University of São Paulo

• Grant number: 24/17796-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Arts - Art Fundamentals and Criticism
• Principal Investigator: Heloisa Espada Rodrigues Lima
• Grantee: Isabella Luz Mari
• Host Institution: Museu de Arte Contemporânea (MAC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this research is to study in depth the painting Thema in Zwei Verschieden Gerichteten Dimensionen [Theme in Two Dimensions], by Swiss artist Richard Paul Lohse, which belongs to the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art at the University of São Paulo. The work was acquired as a prize-winner at the 1st MAM SP Biennial in 1951 and later became part of the collection donated by Francisco Matarazzo Sobrinho to USP in 1963. There is a significant lack of studies on Lohse's influence on the development of concrete art in Brazil, as well as the absence of specific analyses on Theme in Two Dimensions. The research will be based above all on the study of the book Lohse Lesen, which brings together texts written by the artist between the 1930s and 1980s on subjects such as design, concrete art, artistic references and the political-ideological motivations that underpin his work. This project aims to contribute to further studies on concrete art in Brazil, promoting a better understanding of Lohse's work and its impact on the Brazilian artistic context.