Jewellery H.Stern shows its support for the arts sponsoring trail-blazing Brazilian artist Lygia Pape's exhibition opening at the Serpentine Gallery in London on 7th December. "I love people," said Lygia Pape (1929-2004). Her passion for her countrymen and exploration of new forms of art for the people is on show in the Magnetized Space exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London and sponsored by Brazilian jeweller H.Stern. The exhibition, running from 7 December to the 19th February, brings together a wide range of Pape's work including sculpture, performance, paintings, films, poems, engravings and collages. Lygia Pape is considered one of the cornerstones of the Brazilian contemporary art movement and an important influence in Brazil's artistic identity. Back in the 1950's in Rio de Janeiro as jewellers H.Stern were setting out on their path to success, so Pape was forging a new artistic approach for a new generation of Brazilians and later the world. In parallel, through very different mediums, H.Stern and Pape both created another way for the world to see, experience and understand Brazil. Over the past 60 years, H.Stern has shown a great interest in supporting Brazilian artists and this is one example of its support for brave and progressive creators. Hans Stern (1922-2007), the founder of the company, was a pioneer and questioned existing assumptions on what was considered a precious gemstone. He brought to the world Brazil's richness of gemstones and found beauty in unexpected stones. Stern was inspired by artists, dancers, performers and the cultural diversity of his adopted homeland. In recognition of his innovative spirit and love of Brazil, the firm decided to sponsor this exhibition by one of Brazil's most surprising artists. Pape is crucial to understanding Brazilian art and was a founding member of the Concrete and later NeoConcrete movement. Wanting to make art more inclusive and democratic, she took to the streets. Beyond the confines of museums her works, be they sculpture, photography or performances, exposed her to a wider audience and incorporated into everyday life, all with a very local flavour. As its name suggests, the Concrete movement was about making art a concrete reality rather than merely representational images. Pape responded to popular themes in her work and invited viewers to take part and touch her art, literally putting it into the hands of the people as well as taking local traditions as inspiration. Her work "Roda d0s prazeres" (1968) or Wheel of Pleasures consists of a perfectly-formed circle of white bowls filled with bright-coloured liquids with a dropper next to them. The smells and colours of the liquids do not correspond to the usual associations we have with them, drawing the viewer in to 'taste' and literally swallow her art. The upcoming exhibition presents work from throughout Pape's career, including early drawings and poems from her Concrete period to her Neo Concretist Livros (Books) and Caixas (Boxes) series as well as ballets and performances such as Divisor (Divider) and O ovo (The Egg). It is the first major exhibition of her work to be seen in the UK. Despite her defiance and philosophical rigour, Pape was known for her warmth and love of reaching out to people. She is quoted in the Brazilian newspaper "O Globo": "I don't know how to relate without being passionate. I love people. I don't understand people who can live not enjoying others." Like H.Stern she understood that sensuality was essential to life, be it concrete forms or golden chains. Serpentine Gallery, December 7th 2011 to February 19th 2012.
