Estudo
Arquitecturas de la locura
Artist name
Artist year born
1920
Artist year deceased
2013
Artwork make date
1981-2000
Artwork title translation
Study
Architecture of Madness
Architecture of Madness
Artwork material
paper
diazotype
diazotype
Artwork dimensions
height: 93cm
width: 93cm
width: 93cm
Artwork type (categories)
Print
Accession method
Donated by León Ferrari 2001
Accession number
10:9-2001
Label text
Estudo is one of a series of works on paper that Ferrari has entitled Arquitecturas de la locura (Architecture of Madness). Containing ready-made Letraset symbols applied with excessive repetition, this image creates an improbable architectural plan containing innumerable doors. Intersecting walls create small crosses and the doors mark out pathways. These doors offer neither routes to new spaces nor any escape; whether open or closed they disorientate, failing to reveal or conceal anything but an alienating emptiness.
Estudo was made when Ferrari was living in São Paulo in the late 1970s and early '80s. Although inspired by this city (its vast network of streets and blocks filled with innumerable people) this series of plans also acts as a critique of the established parameters of order. His take on architecture constitutes a highly critical view of society: behind the apparent order lie nonsense, chaos and madness. The original composition of this imprint was hand-assembled with architects' symbols and print-sets. As with the rest of the series, this artwork is a reproduction, made using heliography (a technique employed to reproduce blueprint plans). The original work can thus be multiplied ad infinitum, reflecting Ferrari's desire to make access to these architectures unlimited, and thus to excise any material value from their status as works of art.
Gabriela Salgado
Estudo was made when Ferrari was living in São Paulo in the late 1970s and early '80s. Although inspired by this city (its vast network of streets and blocks filled with innumerable people) this series of plans also acts as a critique of the established parameters of order. His take on architecture constitutes a highly critical view of society: behind the apparent order lie nonsense, chaos and madness. The original composition of this imprint was hand-assembled with architects' symbols and print-sets. As with the rest of the series, this artwork is a reproduction, made using heliography (a technique employed to reproduce blueprint plans). The original work can thus be multiplied ad infinitum, reflecting Ferrari's desire to make access to these architectures unlimited, and thus to excise any material value from their status as works of art.
Gabriela Salgado
Last updated date
2008