With texts by more than 20 authors, “In the Labyrinth of Dreams – 50 Years of Oficina Francisco Brennand” historicizes, discusses, and brings new perspectives to the space created by Francisco Brennand.
Edited by the museum team, the work offers a reflection on half a century of one of the country’s most emblematic artistic spaces, from a porous perspective, capable of engendering contemporary thought on the legacy of the ceramist, muralist, sculptor, painter, draftsman, and writer from Pernambuco. He created the space-monument to which he dedicated much of his life, among the Pottery, the Studio, and the open spaces.
The publication was organized by Ariana Nuala (manager of education and research at the Oficina), Júlia Rebouças (former artistic director of the institution), and Olívia Mindêlo (artistic manager of the museum) and now arrives on the shelves as a result of the consolidation of the Oficina Francisco Brennand [Francisco Brennand's Workshop] as an institute, created in 2019, shortly before the death of its patron (1927-2019). The book also marks a commemorative cycle that began in 2021, the official year of the fiftieth anniversary, but goes beyond the date, weaving together different times and perspectives with content of texts and images of distinct genres and styles, both new and reissued.
Moving away from a linear chronology, “In the Labyrinth of Dreams” adopts a spiral perspective, borrowing the very idea of the “sculpture labyrinth” created by the artist while building his Oficina [Workshop], and updating it with the multiple entries that compose this history from yesterday or today. “This is not an institutional catalog in the strict sense of the term. It is a book for reading, research, and contemplation; an editorial product conceived in depth and breadth, speaking of the Oficina and the many themes that have crossed it for more than 50 years. Addressing different perspectives on this place, we bring a contemporary reflection, discussing various times and subjects involving this space of creation and dissemination. It is material that casts an artistic, authorial, and critical gaze on its subject,” says Olívia Mindêlo, the book’s editorial coordinator and the institution’s artistic manager.
With a graphic design by Elaine Ramos (Cosac Naify, Ubu Editora), the volume adds editorial and visual excellence to tell the story of an art institution whose history is unique in Brazil, transitioning from industrial to artistic pathways. To this end, it consists of texts by authors with different roles and knowledge in the cultural segment.
The book is divided into four sections within a single volume. They are: “The Ruin as Principle,” “A Thread That Permeates Everything,” “The Power of Fire and Forms,” and “A Bow’s Call,” which, together or separately, invite immersion into the complexity, nuances, and transformations of the Oficina. The publication is further stitched together by Francisco Brennand’s writings, through original fragments from his diary and interviews, printed at the openings of the sections and in the book’s visual essays.
Commissioned by the Oficina and carried out in the space at different times, the visual essays form authorial photography notebooks at the end of each section, signed by Fritz Simons (1970-1980), Mauro Restiffe (2021), Ruy Teixeira (2021), and Sofia Borges (2021), respectively. Resulting from a careful curation by the book team, the sets editorially bind the book in its plurality and authorship.
