Acclaimed as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Brazilian art, Iberê Camargo established himself through a profound body of work where melancholy and fury, drama and anguish coexist—emotions eloquently translated through his production.
As part of his autobiographical and memory-driven inspirations, the representation of felines accompanied Iberê for decades. In works and sketches largely unknown to the public, the figure of cats was a recurring theme, with particular emphasis on Martim—a cat adopted by the artist who became a beloved companion in Iberê’s final years.
Bridging abstraction and expressionist figuration, the artist’s long career became recognized for his somber paintings, which intensify the tragic nature of the human condition. Produced in 1994, the large canvas Solidão was Iberê’s final work—an allegory of hopeless existentialism, inhabited by symbols of desolation and enveloped in a devastated atmosphere.
Henrique Menezes
Iberê Camargo (Brazil, 1914-1994) was a painter, engraver, designer, and teacher. Known for his paintings of spools, cyclists, and amorphous figures, Iberê won numerous awards and participated in several international exhibitions, such as the São Paulo Biennial, the Biennial of Hispano-American Art, the Venice Biennial, among others. Today, the Iberê Camargo Foundation, located in Porto Alegre, preserves his legacy and exhibits his works, contributing to the continuity of his influence on Brazilian art. He lived part of his life between Porto Alegre and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
