paulo bruscky

Paulo Bruscky (b. 1949, Recife, Brazil) is one of the leading figures of conceptual art in Brazil. His practice is based on an idea of art as a means of information and is characterized by a deep sense of experimentality, resulting in a wide variety of works that include visual poetry, books, performances, urban interventions, letters, photocopies, amongst other unprecedented media. Bruscky is also known for his challenging of social and political norms in a manner that resembles activism, in a moment that coincides with and disputes the validity of military governments and dictatorships across Latin America.

Bruscky began his research in the 1960s with his participation in the movement poetry/process, where he met Robert Rehfeldt, a member of Fluxus. He was then introduced to the international circuit of Postal Art, which Bruscky engaged with in 1973 and pioneered in Brazil. He developed an intense dialogue with several artists from the Fluxus and Gutai movements, attending to those who came from regions suffering from socio-political oppression. Many of his works challenge the very sense of art-making, questioning what art's function is, what validity its production methods and norms have, and where its poetry lies.

Paulo Bruscky lives and works in Recife. Brazil. He featured in the 16th, 20th, 26th, and 29th editions of the São Paulo Biennal, Brazil (1981, 1989, 2004 and 2010); the 57th Venice Biennial, Italy (2017); and the 10th Havana Biennial, Cuba (2009), among others. Selected solo exhibitions included:  Paulo Bruscky. Eteceterate, at Fundación Luis Seoane (2018), in A Coruña, Spain; Xeroperformance, at Americas Society / Council of the Americas (AS/COA) (2017), in New York, USA; Paulo Bruscky: Artist Books and Films, 1970–2013, at The Mistake Room (2015), in Los Angeles, USA; and at Another Space (2015), in New York, USA; Paulo Bruscky, at Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM-SP) (2014), in São Paulo, Brazil; Paulo Bruscky: Art is our Last Hope, at Bronx Museum (2013), in New York, USA; Ars brevis, at Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo (MAC USP) (2007), in São Paulo, Brazil. Selected group exhibitions included: Historia brasileiras, at Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) (2022), in São Paulo, Brazil (2022); Ismo, Ismo, Ismo. Cine experimental en América Latina, at Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) (2019), in Madrid, Spain; AI-5 50 anos – Ainda não terminou de acabar, at Instituto Tomie Ohtake (ITO) (2018), in São Paulo, Brazil; Memorias del subdesarrollo: el arte y el giro descolonial en América Latina, 1960–1985, at Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI) (2018), in Lima, Peru; and at Museo Jumex (2018), in Mexico City, Mexico; Histórias da Sexualidade, at Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand (MASP) (2017), in São Paulo, Brazil. His works are included in the collections of: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, USA; Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA; Tate Gallery, London, England; Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Holland; among others.