| Artwork |
ALDEMIR MARTINS
Ingazeiras, CE, 1922.
Aldemir Martins began painting at the age of nineteen. Self-educated, he contributed to the cultural life of Fortaleza by founding the Artys Group. In 1946, he adopted São Paulo as his home and began to develop original work, experimenting in several artistic fields. However, the preference for drawing marked all his artistic production.
The works "A Fera" [The Beast] (1969) and "Vaqueiros" [Cowboys] (1972) express two of the artist's main thematic affinities: the Brazilian Northeast and soccer.
"A bandit by nature, temperament, upbringing and education," (as the artist defines himself) Aldemir uses figures typical of the Brazilian Northeast in his work. In "Vaqueiro", he gives a measure of his singularity, contrasting the thematic rawness with expressionist features in the forms filled with vibrant colors, giving the painting a decorative tone.
In "A Fera" (1969), the artist renders homage to Pelé. The drawing technique is perceptible in this painting, both by the use of a white background and by the definition of forms contrasting with the dark lines and patches of the painting. Together with a set of drawings and later of engravings, this work is part of Aldemir's work on the theme of Brazilian soccer. An engraving, identical to the painting, was awarded a prize at the Barcelona Sports Biennial, in 1970.
Technically, his work in painting reveals the same mastery as his drawings. It is easy and simple to read: objective art.