The stroke that unites Poty and Itaipu
For us at Itaipu, it is a great honor to pay tribute to Poty Lazzarotto, one of the main Brazilian and Paraná artists of the 20th century. Master of visual arts and an intellectual figure of great stature, his work reflects the dynamism of a versatile, multitalented, and prolific artist.
Best known for his monumental works in open spaces, such as murals scattered around Curitiba and several other cities in Brazil and abroad, he left a vast and varied production of drawings, prints, panels, stained glass, silkscreen, and lithography.
A small part of his most representative works in drawings and prints, carefully selected, can be seen at the Itaipu Ecomuseum.
In fact, this exhibition marks the reunion between Poty and Itaipu, a partnership sealed in 1998, when he accepted the hydroelectric plant’s invitation to create a panel in tribute to the more than 100,000 workers who participated in its construction. Fate decreed that this was to be his last major project.
The magnificent 'Barrageiro Panel,' strategically located at the Central Lookout of the Itaipu Dam, created in collaboration with Adoaldo Renato Lenzi, would only be inaugurated posthumously, in November that year, about six months after Poty's passing.
In creating his murals, although he used various materials, Poty had a clear preference for exposed concrete. Itaipu, one of the largest reinforced concrete works in the world, offered the perfect setting for a mural with his unmistakable style.
As should be expected, the Barrageiro Panel, measuring 25 meters in length and 3.5 meters in width, is formed by an arch with one side covered in tiles and the other in high-relief concrete. The artist's style added aesthetic lightness to the hard work of the dam builders who raised the monumental structure of Itaipu.
A master of his craft, Poty earned well-deserved recognition during his lifetime. His contribution to the development of Brazilian visual arts firmly places him in the pantheon of the greatest artists of the 20th century. This exhibition, therefore, pays due tribute to a seminal artist in shaping the artistic identity of Paraná.
By opening the doors to 'Poty, the Poet of the Stroke,' the Itaipu Ecomuseum closes 2015 on a high note, presenting Foz do Iguaçu, on its centennial, with another beautiful exhibition.
Jorge M. Samek
Brazilian Director-General of ITAIPU Binacional
