After Eckhout

Early Life and Education

• Born: São Paulo, Brazil (1961)
• Leda Catunda Serra, known as Leda Catunda, was born in 1961 in São Paulo, Brazil.
• She initially aspired to be a rock musician before dedicating herself to visual arts.
• Catunda studied visual arts at Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado (FAAP).
• During her studies, she was influenced by prominent artists such as Regina Silveira, Nelson Leirner, and Julio Plaza.

Artistic Style and Development

• "Soft Paintings": Catunda is renowned for her "soft paintings," created on unconventional materials like towels, bedclothes, leather, velvet, and silk.
• Exploration of Textures: Her work explores the limits of textures and materials, blending experimentation with themes of texture, consumerism, and emotional expression.
• Early Works (1980s): Early works involved appropriating printed fabrics and erasing information with ink, creating new compositions. She also experimented with mixed media, incorporating photographs and lithographs.
• "Paintings-Objects": Catunda began referring to her creations as "paintings-objects," highlighting their unique materiality and dimensionality.
• Abstract Works (1990s - 2000s): She transitioned towards abstract works, focusing on geometric forms and the inherent patterns of materials. This period included painting-installations with greater volume and dimension.

Major Achievements and Recognition

• Geração 80: Catunda is a significant figure in the "Geração 80" (Generation of '80s) artists' group, which revitalized Brazilian contemporary art.
• Exhibitions: She participated in three São Paulo Biennials (1983, 1985, and 1994) and numerous individual exhibitions both nationally and internationally.
• Retrospectives: Major retrospective exhibitions have been held at prestigious institutions such as Pinoteca do Estado de São Paulo (2009), Museu Oscar Niemeyer (2014), Instituto Tomie Ohtake (2016), São Paulo Museum of Modern Art (MAM) (2019), and the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) (2021).
• Doctorate: She earned a doctorate in visual arts from the University of São Paulo in 2001, with her thesis focusing on "the poetics of softness."

Influences and Historical Significance

• Pop Culture & Consumerism: Catunda's work reflects an engagement with pop culture and consumerism, evident in her use of everyday materials and imagery.
• Domesticity & Femininity: Her choice of fabrics often associated with domestic spaces explores themes of femininity and the personal sphere.
• Breaking Boundaries: By working on non-traditional supports like towels and bedclothes, Catunda challenged conventional notions of painting and expanded its possibilities.
• Contemporary Brazilian Art: She is considered a pivotal figure in contemporary Brazilian art, contributing to the development of innovative artistic practices that explore materiality, texture, and representation.

Recent Works & Current Activities

• Ongoing Exhibitions: Catunda continues to exhibit her work internationally, with recent shows at Bortolami Gallery (New York), Zipper Open (São Paulo), and various other institutions.
• Current Residence: She currently lives and works in São Paulo, Brazil.