Canela, Inbuia, Jequitiba
The artistic trajectories of Pancetti and Scapinelli are unique among modern artists who have worked and produced in Brazil, while at the same time referring to the paths taken by other generations of artists, especially those of Italian origin, who immigrated to the country. Pancetti and Scapinelli, curated by Cristiano Raimondi, seeks to resume that legacy, with a selection of works produced by the two artists in different decades. The show takes place at Casa Zalszupin, an exhibition space maintained in partnership between ETEL and Almeida & Dale Galeria de Arte.
Born in Campinas (São Paulo, Brazil) José Pancetti (1902-1958) was the son of Italian immigrants. In 1913, still young, he traveled to Tuscany, where he lived with family members and worked in the Italian Navy until 1920. After returning to Brazil, he joined the Brazilian Navy after performing several other manual trades. Naval life has always been present in Pancetti's biography and production, proof of which is that already during the 1930s, accompanied by his teacher Bruno Lechowsky, the artist carried out excursions to the beach to paint seascapes. Although attached to the theme and recognized for this work, Pancetti also dedicated himself to painting rural and urban landscapes, portraits and self-portraits, as well as still lifes. During his residence in the country, Pancetti frequently traveled to portray different Brazilian regional landscapes whose compositions have a geometric and lyrical sense.
Designer Giuseppe Scapinelli (1891-1982) was born in Modena, Italy, where he lived until 1948, when he decided to emigrate for Brazil. In the 1950s, Scapinelli's furniture conquered the taste of the newly formed São Paulo industrial elite and worked on the decoration of several residences in São Paulo, often together with other artists of Italian origin. Among them, he collaborated on several projects with Bramante Buffoni, who created frescoes for the houses decorated by Scapinelli. The designer also maintained the Giesse Furniture Factory and the Santa Helena Carpet Factory, in addition to the Le Rideau and Margutta stores, where his studio was set. His furniture designs gained notoriety for the union between modern design and curvilinear shapes, and for applying wood, glass and metal details.
“In addition to the Italian origin that connects Pancetti and Scapinelli, his works demonstrate fidelity to the classical and, at the same time, modern language. In both, lyricism and stripping away the superfluous go hand in hand”, says Cristiano Raimondi.
Pancetti and Scapinelli
Curator: Cristiano Raimondi
Assistant curator: Daniel Donato