Cildo

de Diego Matos, Guilherme Wisnik

Cildo Meireles is one of the most important Brazilian artists in activity, perhaps the most relevant in what is conventionally called contemporary art. With exhibitions in the world's leading museums (Tate Modern, New Museum, Reina Sofia, Pompidou and a pavilion in Inhotim), Cildo's work is characterized by experiments that mobilize senses beyond sight - hearing, smell, touch and taste - proposing also reflections on logical and mathematical reasoning and conceptual questions of philosophical background. This book presents the work of Cildo taking as a goal the concept of "study". Much of his most relevant production is shown not only with the photographs of the works in exhibitions, but also with drawings and sketches that reveal the process of performing these works. "Unlike the previous publications, [this book] has not been commissioned on an occasion of a specific exhibition, or conceived as a catalogue. Instead, our goal is to present an idea that is of uttermost importance when dealing with such a relevant and prolific artist, but which not yet has been addressed. On one hand, we aim to organize a collection of texts that expound and highlight the moments of growing national and international recognition of Meireles's work, providing theoretical means for their critical interpretation. On the other hand, we wish to present a number of essential works stressing the notion of "study", an idea that is fundamental to Meireles's poetics"--Page 22.