Paulo Bruscky

Paulo Bruscky, a seminal figure in Brazilian contemporary art, has cultivated a multidisciplinary practice spanning decades. Drawing inspiration from avant-garde innovators such as Marcel Duchamp and John Cage, he emerged as a pioneer of Mail Art in Brazil and became associated with Fluxus. Bruscky’s work is experimental, provocative, and highly inventive; his first mail art exhibition was forcibly closed by authorities, highlighting the politically charged nature of his practice. Operating between the local art scene of Recife and an international network of avant-garde exchange, Bruscky blends visual and literary forms to create works that are simultaneously humorous, critical, and deeply reflective. His art responds to political repression under Brazil’s military dictatorship, during which he endured imprisonment and threats of enforced disappearance. Even while working at the Agamenon Magalhães Hospital in Recife, he transformed modest, everyday materials—printer paper, photocopiers, blueprint machines, envelopes, and stamps—into vehicles of artistic expression, sustaining both his practice and livelihood. Bruscky’s oeuvre continues to interrogate the intersections of politics, society, and culture, affirming his role as a key figure in Brazil’s contemporary art landscape and a lasting influence on experimental and conceptual practices worldwide. ...

Founded in 2012, Richard Saltoun Gallery specialises in contemporary art, with an emphasis on feminist, conceptual and performance artists from the 1960s onwards. It is guided by a strong focus on rediscovering the work of important yet under-recognised artists through presentations at both its locations, online exhibitions, events and participation in art fairs around the world. Since its inception, Richard Saltoun Gallery has been driven by an interest in serving a wider purpose and is now recognised for its critically and socially-engaged programme. In 2019, the gallery launched a year-long initiative titled 100% Women that aimed to address gender inequality in the art world and encourage wider industry action through debate, dialogue and collaboration. In 2021, it dedicates all exhibitions to the writings of German-born, American political philosopher Hannah Arendt in a 12-month programme On Hannah Arendt to confront some of the most perplexing socio-political issues of our time. The gallery is considered a leader in its representation of female artists, from avant-garde pioneers of the 1960s and ‘70s, such as Eleanor ANTIN, Renate BERTLMANN and Gina PANE, to a younger generation of female artists including Silvia GIAMBRONE and Florence PEAKE. It continues to support female artists through extensive research, partnerships and solo presentations at the gallery and online. Additionally, Richard Saltoun is noted for its support of pioneering artists who have pushed the conceptual and disciplinary boundaries in which they work, from LI Yuan-chia, one of the earliest proponents of abstract and conceptual art in Taiwan, to ULAY, the late photographer and performance artist, as well as British artists Victor BURGIN, Rose ENGLISH, John HILLIARD, Peter KENNARD, Bob LAW, Penny SLINGER and more. The gallery preserves the legacy of artists through its representation of artist estates, including Helen CHADWICK, David HALL, Alexis HUNTER, Bob LAW, Marinella PIRELLI, Jo SPENCE, Barbara LEVITTOUX-ŚWIDERSKA and Shelagh WAKELY, amongst others. The gallery acts as a consultant to major museums and public institutions and advises private and corporate collections. It actively documents the work of its artists through the production of publications and frequently stages talks, screenings and performances. ...