Rediscovering the relevance of materials and techniques in Lygia Clark’s work: an artistic and historical analysis of Bichos and Trepantes

Abstract

This article aims to examine the material, technical and aesthetic aspects of the works of Brazilian artist Lygia Clark produced in the Bichos and Trepantes series. Although these series are well known, we believe that most articles and catalogs analyze these works from a conceptual and poetic point of view, the choice of material, that is, metallic alloys in aluminum and stainless steel, being an ignored aspect. Why did the artist choose these materials? Did she manufacture her works, or did she count on the help of other professionals? What difficulties she encountered during the manufacturing process of the works? Why do some works have an “imperfect” finish and others do not? Why are some colored and others not? And finally, are these aspects relevant to the appreciation of these works? These questions will be discussed considering various historical sources (correspondence between the artist and friends, personal notes, letters, diaries, notes, period news published in newspapers, interviews and photographic records). We organize the article according to a chronological order, starting in 1959 and ending in 1988. We hope that the results found can assist future research in art criticism, museology and conservation.