Jonathas de Andrade: One to One

This beautifully illustrated monograph celebrates Brazilian artist Jonathas de Andrade’s video, photography, and installation work. Themes of memory, love, economic inequality, and political upheaval are threaded throughout de Andrade’s work, which is often situated in Recife, his hometown in the northeast corner of Brazil. This includes the artist’s most recent works, The Fish, a 16mm film about fishermen who embrace their prey at the moment of their death, and para 2 em 1, in which de Andrade uses an instruction manual as a metaphor for homosexual love. By localising his art, de Andrade makes powerful statements about many of the issues facing Brazil’s working class, including environmental degradation, urban blight, political inequity, and the loss of traditions and cultures. His multifaceted approach, in which he often collaborates with his fellow citizens, makes his work accessible, personal, and steeped in humanity. AUTHOR: Jose Esparza Chong Cuy is the Pamela Alper Associate Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. 100 images