Roberta Smith writes for the New York Times: “With their first public artwork in Manhattan, which went up at the northwest corner of Houston Street and the Bowery on July 17/2009, the Brazilian brothers Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo, who call themselves Os Gêmeos, bring graffiti art to its Rococo phase” [...]

Highlights From Ad Age International Partner Adlatina’s Annual Rankings: Sky Brasil, Hyundai Brasil, HSBC Brasil among the best campaigns of 2009. As part of its awards, Adlatina has also named outstanding marketing executives of the year.

Marcello Serpa, partner and general creative director, AlmapBBDO, São Paulo, Brazil, was selected by the international Clio Awards as the recipient of its distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for 2008. “Throughout his career, Marcello Serpa has clearly embodied the tradition of creative leadership, integrity and dedication to great ideas that are the cornerstones of the Clio Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Tony Gulisano, managing director, Clio Awards. “It is our honor to present him with this award.”

Brazilian graphic designer Kiko Farkas gave a talk at the Nanjing Arts Institute on November 10th 2009 during the opening of an exhibition of 50 of his posters for the São Paulo Symphonic Orchestra.

After São Paulo city officials ordered graffiti cleanup crews to leave work by Os Gemeos and other famous São Paulo street artists alone, art collective and magazine Rojo asked the city’s Urban Development Department to allow them to tap artists like Tofer and MWM Graphics to help spice up drab concrete structures across the city. “It was the first time they’ve allowed it,” says Zagg Guimaraes, Rojo’s associate director in Brazil. “We’re trying to make the city more beautiful.” Dubbing the operation RojoOut, the public art exhibit continues a similar three-year project in Barcelona that they started in 2006 [...]

By producing work rich with feeling and a growing sense of sophistication, Brazil has begun to turn up the creative heat. According to Computer Arts magazine, the world of graphic design is waiting to see what happens next [...]

Brazil Contemporary is an overview exposition compiled by the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI), Museum Boijmans van Beuningen and the Netherlands Photo Museum. These three institutions have joined forces to introduce to the general public Brazilian artists, architects, photographers and designers [...]

The Interaction Design Association (IXDA) is pleased to announce the 1st regional conference of Interaction Design Association (IxDA): Interaction’09 | South America, which will happen on 26,27 and 28 November at 9 am to 18 pm, in São Paulo. The purpose of the event is to encourage and work with the education of interaction design in Latin America, so has the support of several institutions of higher education, promoting greater visibility for professionals engaged in the development of interactive solutions.

Alexandre Wollner (São Paulo, 1928- ). Graphic designer. Began his studies with the visual design course at the Institute of Contemporary Design (IAC), created at the São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand Museum of Art (Masp). Collaborated with Pietro Maria Bardi (1900-1999) in staging the retrospective exhibition of Max Bill (1908-1994), at the Masp, in 1951. In 1953, he was chosen by Max Bill to study at the Hochschule für Gestaltung [Superior School of Form] in Ulm, Germany, where he remained from 1954 to 1958. In 1963, he took part in the structuring and creation of the Escola Superior de Desenho Industrial (ESDI) [Superior School of Industrial Design], in Rio de Janeiro [...]

Aloísio Magalhães, while still attending law school in Recife (the capital of Pernambuco), had already begun to show his fascination with graphic arts. Coincidentally, a famous cousin of Magalhães, the renowned Brazilian poet João Cabral de Melo Neto, moved to Recife at that time. This cousin strongly encouraged the two young artists to open their own private print shop. Magalhães became excited about the idea of setting up a print shop and they sought other former friends from the university who were also involved in literature and graphic arts. Among the main names of those who founded O Gráfico Amador in 1954, it is worth mentioning Ariano Suassuna, José Laurenio, and Orlando da Costa Ferreira.