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23 June 2012: New ESCALA exhibition: Siron Franco - Suspicious Story

Siron Franco, Memória.
© Siron Franco. Image © ESCALA.

Siron Franco:
Suspicious Story

University Space, firstsite, Colchester

23 June - 28 October 2012

Curated by Dr. Joanne Harwood

One of Brazil's foremost artists Siron Franco is the focus of the latest exhibition from the Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA). Siron Franco: Suspicious Story is now open at Colchester’s firstsite gallery and has been curated by ESCALA Director Dr. Joanne Harwood.

The exhibtion features paintings, sculpture and video and takes its name from one of the featured works, História mal contada (Suspicious Story), from 1991. Franco was born in Goiás Velho in 1947 and his work often references 'the sometimes tragic stories of Brazil's dispossessed inhabitants: among them the indigenous, the landless and the urban poor.'

The artist holds an important place in ESCALA's history. His painting Memória (Memory), 1990-1992, was the Collection's first acquisition, donated by Essex graduate Charles Cosac in 1993. ESCALA now contains over 750 artworks. The pieces included in this exhibition form part of the largest public collection of Siron Franco’s work in Europe while ESCALA's founding Director, Professor Dawn Ades of the School of Philosophy and Art History was the author of the first detailed study of the artist in English, Siron Franco: Figures and Likenesses, Paintings from 1968 to 1995.

Public Programme

A programme of public events has been organised to run alongside the exhibition. Full details can be found on ESCALA's website:

Curator's Talk with Dr Joanne Harwood - 18 July 2012

Siron Franco - Family Workshop - 28 July 2012

3D Cocoon making - 18 August 2012

Links

Siron Franco: Suspicious Story (ESCALA website)

Siron Franco: Suspicious Story (firstsitewebsite)

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