Today we went to the MALBA museum, which is the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires. Much of the work was contemporary and was all very cool.
But this was my favorite, Abaporu, painted in 1928 by Tarsila do Amaral, a Brazilian artist. Apparently she gave the work to the husband she later divorced, Oswald de Andrade, who immediately thought the large man looked cannibal-like. After looking through the dictionary, the two stumbled upon the word "aba poru," which means "man who eats man" and hence the title of the piece.
Tarsila do Amaral was at the forefront of the Brazilian modernist movement. According to information provided by MALBA, the cannibalism contained within the painting equates with a purging of the European influence that largely defined/defines Brazilian culture.
"The construction of the modernity and the national identity in the countries of Latin America are the faces of the same coin. From this perspective, Tarsila do Amaral starts to think about the necessity of returning to her roots, closely investigating the concept of the 'brasilidad.'" Another fun fact: Abaporu is painted in the colors of the Brazilian flag! It's all here in Spanish if you want to read more: MALBA
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