Cássio Loredano: Rio, Papel e Lápis

Renowned cartoonist in Brazil and abroad, Cássio Loredan (b. 1948, Rio de Janeiro) presents for the first time works that have a city as theme. All 61 drawings exhibited in Rio, Lápis e Papel [Rio, Pencil and Paper] were created between 2014 and 2015, by request of the Instituto Moreira Salles. The images present a city far from the clichés attached to the idea of Rio de Janeiro, images in which the exuberant nature is just background for the beauty of buildings of historical and affective value for the artist. A book containing the drawings were released during the opening of the show, marking the city’s 450th anniversary.

The drawings, which were integrated to IMS’ collection, focus on less known parts of Rio, such as the church Nossa Senhora da Cabeça, hidden in the Botanical Garden, and the Jesuítas bridge, in Santa Cruz; and when they look at the Central region (the most depicted area of the city), they do it through an unique perspective. Following a route made by memory,  Loredano visited, along photographer Aílton da Silva, his locations of choice, and departed from these photos to create his drawings, using graphite, China ink, ballpoint pen and watercolour. On the book, the drawings are accompanied by small texts written by him, mixing historical data with personal commentaries.