Preface

E onde é que se juntam o passado, o futuro e o presente
Onde o samba é permanente? Na Mangueira, minha gente.
(Rildo Hora, Meninos da Mangueira [Mangueira Kids]: Where can you find past, future, and present together? Where is samba permanent? At Mangueira, folks!)

The first contacts with writers to build the present Reader proposed the gathering of articles that would expand the research on Hélio Oiticica beyond the path Neoconcretism -> Mangueira, which emphasizes the writings of the artist from the 1960s. Seldom studied texts from the 1970s have never been so accessible as today, thanks to the diligent work of the Project HO and of the team coordinated by Lisette Lagnado at the Itaú Cultural, which built an on-line database including 5.000 pages written by Oiticica, the “Program HO”, frequently cited on the articles here compiled. Those writings and several others (about 15.000 pages), as well as images and other research references, have been organized in digital format by the Project HO.

Nowadays, one is able to enter the labyrinth holding the thread each one chooses from this universe Hélio Oiticica built with his notes, interviews, references to other thinkers, letters, photos... The dissemination of this material respects the most important characteristic of Oiticica´s production: invitation to participation, to movement, and thus to the inevitable and unpredictable “cellular multiplication”.

The compilation “Following loosen threads” is a result of such unpredictability and multiplication. Taking the risk of imitating the artist’s strategies, I would say that gathering different research for this publication ended up building a virtual Barracão (Shanty), a shelter for the development of new texts, the appreciation of already published articles that needed to be read again, an environment to exchange images, writings, and samba sound files, like the one that opens this text, Meninos da Mangueira (Mangueira Kids). We returned, then, to a trans-formed Mangueira, with samba and rock, which juxtapose archaic aspects and conceptualism, a mix of body, architecture, music, and samba.

The timing was perfect to put together scattered parts: the catalogue raisonné and a huge exhibition on Hélio Oiticica is currently being organized in Houston under the Project HO’s supervision; the 27^th Biennial of S. Paulo, that opens in the very moment we release this compilation, is based on concepts developed by Oiticica, specially the “block”.

The [Carnival] block does not demand from you a special performance as a dancer; it demands a will to join the collective phenomenon , that´s the only demand of the block. [...] (Hélio Oiticica and Carlos Vergara, “Rap in Progress”, Héliotapes)

The block happened thanks to some essential ingredients: Durval de Lara Filho´s incentive to the initial idea of making a compilation of articles on Hélio Oiticica; the support I received from Martin Grossmann, Permanent Forum, and Project HO; Beatriz Scigliano Carneiro, Suzana Vaz and Michael Asbury’s enthusiasm; and the advising and guidance I received from Celso Favaretto. The compilation took form thanks to all the authors who supported the project and answered immediately to the invitation to samba. May the block continue to grow!

Paula Braga¹ – September 2006