Books are a great idea to buy if you are in São Paulo. It is a gift that is cultural and goes beyond the consumerism of a simple souvenir.
Here we selected books from different segments of Brazilian culture, with successful themes that went beyond the country’s barriers and, notably, achieved international repercussion.
LITERATURE
Brazilian literature has great names such as Machado de Assis, Paulo Coelho, Rachel de Queiroz, Jorge Amado and Clarice Lispector. And even though it is not the most popular in the world (the Portuguese language spoken in Brazil may limit the reach of the works) some Brazilian authors have works translated into different languages and read by millions of people around the world.
The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas
(portuguese: Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas), Author: Machado de Assis
Machado de Assis (1839-1908) is a classic of Brazilian literature. The writer is considered the greatest exponent of Brazilian literature by critics and scholars. His literary production is extensive and covers novels, poetry, short stories, chronicles and dramaturgy.
The publication of The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas introduces Realism in Brazil. At first, the novel was written in serial format, with an episode in each issue of a magazine at the time. In the end, the collection was published as a book.
The story is narrated in the first person by Brás Cubas. However, Brás Cubas is dead and, from his grave, the character writes his autobiography.
The Alchemist
(portuguese: O Alquimista), Author: Paulo Coelho
This best seller was originally published in 1988, in Portuguese and has already been translated into 88 languages, making it the best-selling Brazilian book in the world.
The Alchemist is an inspiring novel that addresses themes such as spirituality, mysticism and self-knowledge. The book portrays the journey of the young shepherd Santiago who heads towards Egypt in search of treasure, after recurring dreams of such wealth.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Sebastião Salgado
Sebastião Salgado is a Brazilian photographer, born in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais.
His lenses capture black and white images of a reality that is disturbing and emotional at the same time. With great sensitivity and talent, he portrays social and humanitarian issues, poverty, injustice and inequality in his photos.
Genesis
Amazônia
VISUAL ARTS
Vik Muniz
Vik Muniz (1961) is an internationally renowned Brazilian visual artist, born in the city of São Paulo. He produced various works using unusual materials such as jam, chocolate, sugar, dulce de leche, wire, ketchup, sawdust, etc.
With these materials, he recreated famous images such as the Mona Lisa and Che Guevara. He composed images of famous personalities such as Pelé, Barack Obama, Elizabeth Taylor, as well as anonymous people.
Addressing social and sustainability issues, he seeks to provoke reflections on the subject in his audience with the documentary Lixo Extraordinário (2010), an award-winning film at the Berlin Festival, which portrays the production of his works of art with material collected at the Jardim Gramacho landfill, in Rio de Janeiro, in addition to portraying the lives of recyclable material collectors.
Os Gêmeos
Twin brothers Otávio Pandolfo (1974) and Gustavo Pandolfo (1974), born and raised in São Paulo, in the Aclimação neighborhood, form the duo called Os Gêmeos (means twin in portuguese), specialized in urban art and graffiti.
With a style recognized and admired around the world, in their work, Os Gêmeos create works of art with a unique aesthetic that mixes vibrant colors, fantastic characters, elements of hip-hop culture, street art and Brazilian culture.
In addition to murals in the city of São Paulo, there are works by Os Gêmeos in Vancouver, Lisbon, London, New York, Stockholm, among others.
ARQUITETURA
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012) was one of the greatest architects of his generation. Brazilian, born in Rio de Janeiro, died at 104 years old. He worked with legends such as Le Corbusier (1887-1965) and Lucio Costa (1902-1998), but his authorial work exploring reinforced concrete gained international recognition, initially with projects in Pampulha, Belo Horizonte and projects for the government headquarters federal, in Brasilia. Niemeyer knew how to use curved lines like no one else, which gives poetry and modernity to his works.
“It is not the right angle that attracts me, nor the straight, hard, inflexible line, created by man. What attracts me is the free and sensual curve, the curve that I find in the mountains of my country, in the winding course of its rivers , in the waves of the sea, in the body of the favorite woman. The entire universe is made of curves, Einstein’s curved universe.” Niemeyer, Oscar
Lina Bo Bardi
Lina Bo Bardi (1914-1992), was an Italian architect graduated from the University of Rome who moved to Brazil due to the trauma of the Second World War.
Living in São Paulo, Lina finds a possibility of implementing the ideas proposed by modern architecture.
Together with her husband, journalist Pietro Maria Bardi, the couple became a constant presence in the cultural and intellectual life of São Paulo along with other local personalities.
In the city, Lina is responsible for the projects of MASP (São Paulo Art Museum), SESC Pompeia and Casa de Vidro (residence of the Bardi couple, listed as a historical heritage site in São Paulo and open to visitors).
Paulo Mendes da Rocha
Architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha (1928-2021) developed his architectural production based on modernism. In 2006, he received the Pritzker Prize, the most important in world architecture. In 2016, he won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Biennale.
In the city of São Paulo, among many projects, he designed the Pórtico da Praça do Patriarca, the Mube (Brazilian Sculpture Museum) and the renovation project for the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo.