Summer 2002 Research Report Chloe Dillon "Brazilian Modernism and Ethnography"

This summer I traveled to Brazil with my Tinker Fellowship monies to build a base for future focused research on Brazilian Modernism’s relationship with ethnography. For my dissertation in Comparative Literature I intend to work with the historical avant-garde in three different countries in Latin America: Cuba, Brazil and Mexico. In my work I will be investigating manifestations of ethnography in the art and literature of specific figures in the avant-garde movements. I have a good idea of whom and what I would discuss and research for the Cuba section of my dissertation. I have made contacts with people to aid me in my research in Cuba and in the U.S., researched the archival resources, and feel completely confident in my Spanish. However, my studies of Portuguese and Brazil have only recently begun and, as professor Candace Slater reminded me, it is integral that I improve my knowledge of Brazilian literature and art as well as begin to make research contacts in Brazil in order to make it a central part of my studies at Berkeley.

In the month that I spent in Brazil, I traveled to four different states and built this valuable support base. I evaluated archival resources, made contacts in museums and viewed Brazilian art firsthand. Most importantly, I discussed ideas with Brazilian professors and students that helped me to develop research strategies, build my knowledge and perspective of Brazilian art and literature, and at the same time improve my spoken and written Portuguese immensely.

I began my research in Rio de Janeiro. There I toured the Biblioteca Nacional, which is one of the best libraries in the country, and learned how to gain access to it for research purposes. I also viewed art by Brazilian modernists such as Tarsila do Amaral and Emiliano Di Cavalcanti in the Museu de Belas Artes. I visited the Fundação Rui Barbosa, and the Fundação Getulio Vargas where I familiarized myself with their archival materials and the process for using them. Unfortunately in the short time I was there I was unable to connect with either Flora Süssekind or Monica Pimenta Velloso, both of whom are literary critics who have worked in different aspects with Brazilian Modernism. I do though have their contact information should I need to speak with them in the future. I also made the long treks on bus and metro to the two principle universities in Rio, the Universidade Federal Rio de Janeiro and the Universidade Estadil Rio de Janeiro. UERJ was unfortunately on vacation during the time that I was there and all I was able to do was leave my email address with secretaries and hope that professors would contact me since it was impossible to get any other contact information of theirs from their departments. However at UFRJ I was able to get in touch with Luiz Edmundo who is the head of graduate studies in Comparative Literature. He offered me any support I would need in future research and seemed very enthusiastic about my research topic.

Salvador, my second destination, was an amazing experience. I was able to attend a Candomblé ceremony and the Ballet Folklórico, which gave me unique insight into Afro-Brazilian culture by being able to witness firsthand the dances and ceremonies that have influenced so much ‘academic’ art and literature in Brazil. The Ballet Folklórico performed many traditional dances from the indigenous peoples, African religions and Capoeira. It was truly a privilege though to be able to go to the Candomblé ceremony. I watched and participated for three hours in the music of Candomblé and witnessed people ‘receiving the saint,’ a ritual where the devotee is embodied by a spirit and then blesses his/her fellow members. The recipient cleanses their spirit with ritual gestures using branches and bouquets of herbs and flowers. These same traditions and rituals fascinated the writers and artists of the avant-garde and appear in much of the work of that period. I also connected with a professor in the cultural center in Pelourinho (central Salvador), Jeferson Bacelar, who offered to help me with my research in any way that he could and gave me the names and addresses of several professors at the Universidade Federal da Bahia who work with Afro-Brazilian culture.

I was also fortunate enough to be invited to the fazenda (farm) of Francisco Dantas and Maria Lúcia Del Farra, a husband and wife who, besides being well-known writers, are also professors at the Universidade Federal de Sergipe in Aracajú. I spent two days with them discussing their work and generally learning about the history of Brazilian literature. In the short time I was with them I was able to gain a great deal of perspective from them about the various Modernist movements in Brazil, particularly the unique role of the Northeastern movement spearheaded by Gilberto Freyre. These discussions introduced me to the idea of including Freyre among my studies of avant-garde figures.
After talking with Francisco and Maria Lúcia, I also discussed Brazilian Modernisn in Recife with a Fernando Mota, a professor of sociology, and Bete Gouveia, a professor of Fine Arts, both at the Universidade Federal de Recife. They gave me great advice not only on which figures and which works to concentrate on, but on archival resources in Recife and in São Paulo. Through Bete, I connected with Wilton de Souza, the curator in charge of conservation at the Aloísio Magalhães Museum of Modern Art in Recife and had the incredible experience of viewing the collection of the museum, which was entirely in storage at the time, on a personal tour with Wilton. I examined many works by Vincente do Rêgo Monteiro, a Brazilian Modernist of the Northeast. My acquaintance with Bete and Wilton, as well as their introduction to this artist, has provided me with archival references as well as a direct contact in the museum which holds the largest collection of his art. I hope to be able to work with both of them in Recife in the future.

Seeing Candomblé, being at the house of Francisco Dantas, and casually touring the reserves of the Modern Art museum in Recife were only a few of the amazing experiences I had in Brazil during the month I was there. My experience has convinced me, and at the same time prepared me, to make research on Brazilian Modernism a central part of my doctoral studies in literature and art of Latin America at Berkeley. I believe that this summer’s journey will be an important step in my career and in my life and want to thank the Center for Latin American Studies as well as the Tinker Foundation for their aid and time, for giving me this experience.

ABSTRACT:

My name is Chloe Dillon. I’m a U.S. citizen and in the PhD program in Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley. This summer I traveled to Brazil with my Tinker Fellowship monies to build a base for future focused research on Brazilian Modernism’s relationship with ethnography. For my dissertation in Comparative Literature I intend to work with the historical avant-garde in three different countries in Latin America: Cuba, Brazil and Mexico. In my work I will be investigating manifestations of ethnography in the art and literature of specific figures in the avant-garde movements. This summer I went to Brazil for one month to improve my knowledge of Brazilian literature and art as well as begin to make research contacts in Brazil in order to make it a central part of my studies at Berkeley. While in Brazil I traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Salvador da Bahia, Sergipe and Recife. I evaluated archival resources, made contacts in museums and viewed Brazilian art firsthand. Most importantly, I discussed ideas with Brazilian professors and students that helped me to develop research strategies, build my knowledge and perspective of Brazilian art and literature, and at the same time improve my spoken and written Portuguese immensely. The highlights of my experience in Brazil were: attending a Candomblé ritual ceremony, staying at the house of the well-known Brazilian author Francisco Dantas, and casually touring the reserves of the Modern Art museum with one of its directors in Recife. The Tinker Grant provided me with $930, which paid for my roundtrip airfare to Rio de Janeiro from San Francisco.

CAPTIONS FOR PHOTOS:

(photo of me)
This is a picture of me (Chloe Dillon) on the top level of the Museu Chácara do Ceu (the Shack in the Sky Museum) in Rio de Janeiro. This museum displays contemporary Brazilian art as well as serving as a type of cultural center for lectures and performances. Behind me is the characteristic Pão de Açucar (the Sugarloaf) and the Botafogo district with part of a favela in the foreground.

(photo of Salvador)
This is a typical street scene in Pelourinho which is the central, old neighborhood in Salvador da Bahia, an old colonial city of Brazil. The blue church on the right is the Igreja Nossa Senhora Rosário dos Pretos, which was built by and for slaves in the 18th century. The church and convent further down the street were founded in 1636.