ExhibitionMay 10, 2022
Walter Firmo: no verbo do silêncio a síntese do grito (in the verb of silence the synthesis of the scream)
Recently inaugurated exhibition of afro Brazilian photographer Walter Firmo at Instituto Moreira Salles in São Paulo will be on view thru September 11, 2022.
This survey exhibition of the artist features 266 photographs, many of which are in highly contrasting colors, the artist’ trademark, on the two floors of the cultural center in São Paulo.
Born on June 1, 1937 in Rio de Janeiro, Walter Firmo joined photojournalism in 1955, as an apprentice, at the newspaper Última Hora, and he never stopped. He worked in several newspapers and magazines and built a long career, recognized by awards. Called the “master of color”, Firmo is the author of memorable portraits of Brazilian music icons. Since 2018, the IMS has housed, on a loan basis, approximately 155,000 photos taken by Firmo over several decades. (Photo: Walter Firmo, Nazaré da Mata, PE, circa 2014).
As stated by curator Sergio Burgi in his exhibition essay, “At an early age, Walter Firmo incorporated in his photography the construction of a language that seeks the elaboration of meaning through directed and staged images, having as essence an awareness of origin – racial, social and cultural – amalgamated with a desire to question the canons of photography, documentary and photojournalism. Firmo documented numerous regions of Brazil praising his characters, especially black people, and multiple cultural and religious manifestations, as well as iconic portraits of great names in popular music. It was in this context, therefore, that the work of Walter Firmo was built: P&B and color intertwining in the trajectory in search of imagery constructions that work the central theme of his work - his black color - the one that weaves "in the verb of silence the synthesis of the scream.”
For more information visit: https://ims.com.br/exposicao/walter-firmo-no-verbo-do-silencio-a-sintese-do-grito_ims-paulista/
This survey exhibition of the artist features 266 photographs, many of which are in highly contrasting colors, the artist’ trademark, on the two floors of the cultural center in São Paulo.
Born on June 1, 1937 in Rio de Janeiro, Walter Firmo joined photojournalism in 1955, as an apprentice, at the newspaper Última Hora, and he never stopped. He worked in several newspapers and magazines and built a long career, recognized by awards. Called the “master of color”, Firmo is the author of memorable portraits of Brazilian music icons. Since 2018, the IMS has housed, on a loan basis, approximately 155,000 photos taken by Firmo over several decades. (Photo: Walter Firmo, Nazaré da Mata, PE, circa 2014).
As stated by curator Sergio Burgi in his exhibition essay, “At an early age, Walter Firmo incorporated in his photography the construction of a language that seeks the elaboration of meaning through directed and staged images, having as essence an awareness of origin – racial, social and cultural – amalgamated with a desire to question the canons of photography, documentary and photojournalism. Firmo documented numerous regions of Brazil praising his characters, especially black people, and multiple cultural and religious manifestations, as well as iconic portraits of great names in popular music. It was in this context, therefore, that the work of Walter Firmo was built: P&B and color intertwining in the trajectory in search of imagery constructions that work the central theme of his work - his black color - the one that weaves "in the verb of silence the synthesis of the scream.”
For more information visit: https://ims.com.br/exposicao/walter-firmo-no-verbo-do-silencio-a-sintese-do-grito_ims-paulista/
Gallery
