An informal offensive

The 5th São Paulo Biennial (1959) had a significant impact on Brazil’s abstract art scene, with national representations largely filled by Informalist and Abstract Expressionist works. At the time, geometric abstraction was considered outdated by many international critics—MoMA’s director Alfred Barr, for instance, dismissed such works as mere “Bauhaus exercises” in 1957. In response, renowned Brazilian critic Mario Pedrosa, supported by Ferreira Gullar, described the Biennial as “a tachist and informal offensive”. Pedrosa’s views would go on to dominate Brazilian art historiography, favoring geometric abstraction for its perceived alignment with a collective, political vision for the country, while rejecting Informalism as an expression of individual freedom incompatible with national artistic goals. This article examines the critical reception of the 5th Biennial, revealing how the binary between geometric and informal abstraction shaped Brazilian modernism. The rhetorical defense of geometric abstraction marginalized informalist artists, ideas, and groups, pushing them to the periphery of art history. By examining art criticism surrounding this Biennial and its artistic context, the article highlights the overlooked relevance of informalist production, pointing out its legacy later on among artists who, coming from informalist styles, played central roles in contemporary art from the 1970s onwards.