Néle Azevedo (born 1950) is a Brazilian sculptor, visual artist and independent researcher. She is best known for her "Melting Men" installations.
Early life and education
Azevedo was born in
Santos Dumont
Alberto Santos-Dumont ( Palmira, 20 July 1873 — Guarujá, 23 July 1932) was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, inventor, and one of the few people to have contributed significantly to the early development of both lighter-than-air and heavier- ...
, a municipality in the south-eastern
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literally ...
state of Brazil, in 1950.
She graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts from Santa Marcelina College in 1997 and obtained a master's degree in Visual Arts from São Paulo State University's (UNESP) Arts Institute in 2003.
Work
In 1998, Azevedo launched a solo exhibition with an installation of iron sculptures at the Brazilian
Post Cultural Center in Rio de Janeiro and won the acquisition prize in the Santo André Art Hall in
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...
.
In 2001, Azevedo started working on the Minimum Monument Project
doing interventions in urban space that discuss contemporary public monuments in countries such as Brazil, Cuba, Japan, France, Germany, Portugal, and Italy. These
temporary art interventions have become known worldwide as the "Army of Melting Men" or simply "Melting Men".
For the Melting Men installations Azevedo places hundreds, sometimes thousands, of hand-cut ice figures in public places. The whole installation usually melts within the next 30 minutes, depending on local conditions, and draws a crowd to watch the unfolding events. Her installations sometimes also incorporate additional elements like photography or paint.
The "Melting Men" have featured topics like
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
or
Climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
.
The Minimum Monument project,
along with the other urban interventions developed by Azevedo including "Glory to Inglorious Fights" and "Anhangabau: A River For The Absent Ones",
have their genesis in local history. The interventions have resulted in videos, pictures and drawings and gained attention in different local, national and international media.
Urban interventions
Awards
* 2007: Winner of the Award for Experimental Video at the 15th Video festival, Teresina, Piaui, Brazil, December
* 2002: Awarded the Bunkyo Art Hall 1st prize with an installation of sculptures in acrylic
* 2002: 31st Salão Bunkyo // 31st. Bunkyo Contemporary Art Show: Golden Medal and JAL Award
* 1998: XXVI Contemporary Art Show, Acquisition Award. Santo André City, São Paulo, Brazil 1996: X Atibiai Art Meeting: Special Mention
Public collections
* MartiusStaden Institut, São Paulo, Brazil
* Bienal International, Evento of Art of Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal
* Pinacoteca Municipal, São Paulo, Brazil
* Sycomore Art Gallery, Paris, France
* ACBEU Gallery, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
* Nipo Brasileiro Art Museum, São Paulo, Brazil
* Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, Havana, Cuba
* Cultural Center of Mail Department, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
* Espirito Santo Art Museum, Vitória, Brazil
* Santo Andre Art Museum, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
* Atibibaia Museum, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
References
External links
Artist Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Azevedo, Nele
1950 births
Brazilian women academics
Brazilian women sculptors
Living people
São Paulo State University alumni