Lygia Clark is one of the most influential Brazilian artists of the 20th century. Her Bichos, sculptures produced during the 1960s, represent a radical rupture with modern sculpture, questioning the distancing of works of art from real life and the untouchability and unattainability ascribed to them. Clark invites the viewer to touch and rearrange her Bichos, thus erasing all traditional distinctions between the author/creator and the viewer/consumer of art. In handling the artwork, the viewer takes on an active, creative role, stepping out of the passivity of a mere observer. Moreover, despite the machine-like aspect conferred by their industrial materials (hinges and aluminum sheet), and their geometric, abstract appearance, the title the artist chooses for these creations couldn’t be less machinic. In Portuguese, the term “bichos,” different from “animals,” refers to critters, creatures, from household pets to unidentified insects. As such, what the viewer picks up and handles is laden with a range of creaturely signification. Today, Clark’s Bichos are rare and delicate and, for reasons of conservation, are no longer exposed to visitor contact as they once were. The sculptures are exhibited in vitrines and, whenever possible, are accompanied by replicas authorized by the artist’s heirs and created especially for handling within the gallery context. MASP has the intention to honor the artist’s original wishes and is seeking to create a replica to exhibit alongside the original.

— Adriano Pedrosa, artistic director, MASP, 2019

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