Gravura Brasileira

SP ESTAMPA is Sao Paulo’s newest "paulistan" approach to Philagraphica or the New York Print Week. SP ESTAMPA is organized by Gravura Brasileira—a gallery specialized in Brazilian printmakers, from Modern to Contemporary. The gallery was founded in Sao Paulo, in 1998 by Alberto Fuks and Eduardo Besen as the only oasis dedicated solely to fine art print in Brazil. 

For the past 16 years Gravura Brasileira showcases national and international exhibitions of both emergent and renowned artists. The gallery also publishes artist`s books and printmaking portfolios. Gravura Brasileira welcomes artists, visitors, art dealers and curators from all over the world, and maintains exchange programs with Brazilian and foreign studios and institutions. Gravura Brasileira participates in national and international art fairs such as ArtFrankfurt 2003 and 2004, and Feira Parte 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. In the past few years the gallery represented artists in several exhibitions in Amsterdam, Belize, Buenos Aires, Heidelberg, Paris, Cardiff, New York, Washington, Mexico City, Ciudad Juarez, Oaxaca, Berlin and Havana.

SP ESTAMPA is currently in its fifth edition that will happen in May 2015. It features a lively schedule of exhibitions, lectures, and workshops showing the vitality of Brazilian printmaking. Over 60 venues, including museums, galleries, art studios, and bookstores opened their doors to receive visitors all over the country and abroad.

The varied public—artists, collectors, curators, and students—had the unique opportunity to experience the great quality and historical importance of Brazilian printmaking and to visit several private studios where they could see artists at work. A free symposium with several specialized panels and international guests was presented to a crowded auditorium of over 100 people at the Centro Universitario Belas Artes Sao Paulo. 

The panels were: 

Constança Lucas - The artist book as a portable exhibition

Beatriz Bittencourt - Books and zines: artistic independent publishing 

Alexandra Eckert - Project Circular - collaborative artistic experiences at the University Feevale (Rio Grande do Sul)

Rafaela Jemmene - Media dialogue: artists books, sculpture and space.

Katia Salvany: Printmaking and performance - a dialogue

In October, 2014 Gravura Brasileira published an open a call for exhibitions and projects to be presented at SP Estampa. An amazing response resulted in over 60 alternative, commercial and educational venues (galleries, studios, museums, universities and art centers) presenting the most diverse views of the contemporary printmaking in Brazil. 

Gravura Brasileira selected 25 artists to exhibit on its walls, 5 site-specific installations and 5 artists presenting art book. A jury formed by artists Lygia Eluf and Mauricio Parra and Eduardo Besen, director of Gravura Brasileira selected the works to be viewed at the gallery:

Sao Paulo, a major cultural center is well known by the street arts, including large-scale fine art prints (silkscreen, linocuts, woodcut and Xerox) glued directly on the city`s walls. These manifestations of public art were incorporated in the gallery exterior walls including the gallery inside garden walls. SP Estampa extended its boundaries to neighbor cities and other states including Santos, Piracicaba, Natal and Belo Horizonte holding multiple exhibitions, lectures, and workshops. A 16-page full color catalogue was printed with schedule and detailed information of all the events.

SP ESTAMPA enables collectors, artists, scholars, educators and the public at large to learn more about printmaking techniques and its explorations as an art form. This Printmaking event creates a natural exchange among artists, venues and the public and facilitates the creation of a larger community of printmakers and print collectors. 

SP ESTAMPA group show at Gravura Brasileira is open to the public until the end of the month. To learn more about SP Estampa and Gravura Brasileira visit: www.gravurabrasileira.com and www.spestampa.com