Roberto Burle Marx

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Revered by architects and designers worldwide and widely celebrated in Brazil, Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994) is considered one of the most influential landscape designers of the twentieth century and yet he remains largely unknown beyond his home country and professional milieu. More than a talented landscape designer, Burle Marx was a true humanist, devoting his life to art and nature and putting his ingenuity at use in multiple disciplines, from painting and sculpture to jewelry and set design. Roberto Burle Marx: Brazilian Modernist, on view at The Jewish Museum this summer (until September 8th), is the first exhibition in the United States to present the full spectrum of his multifaceted work , covering a long and prolific career from …show more content…

In 1928, young Burle Marx embarked on an eye-opening trip to Germany where he rediscovered his homegrown flora - bromeliads, heliconias, water lilies - specimens that were celebrated in Berlin’s Botanical Garden for their exuberance and diversity whereas in Brazil they were discarded as weeds and scrub. Burle Marx became a pioneer advocate for the conservation of the Brazilian rainforest, discovering over fifty tropical species and incorporating them in his landscape designs. He revolutionized the discipline by breaking with European traditions unchallenged since the eighteenth century and envisioning the tropical garden as a modern paradigm. Fiercely embracing his Brazilian identity in plan and plant, Burle Marx created biomorphic compositions that emphasized the lush colors and textures of local specimens, transporting to landscape design the sinuous forms that brand the Brazilian distinctive take on …show more content…

Nahson selected artworks by seven contemporary artists that pay tribute to his work. These works appropriately extend across media, from a film by Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, to a soundscapes of Arto Lindsay, photographs of Luisa Lambri, and sculptures by Beatriz Milhazes.
Roberto Burle Marx: Brazilian Modernist reveals the breath of Burle Marx’s work and demonstrate how his training as a visual artist informed his holistic practice, showcasing his control scale and composition, from a vast urban pavement to a gilded earring. A Modern dat Renaissance man with ecological concerns, Burle Marx stands as a testament to the peaceful coexistence of creativity, innovation, and respect for local culture and natural

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