Estudos iniciais para um panorama cromático do design brasileiro da década de 1960

Abstract

This exploratory character work has the objective of accomplish initial studies for a possible construction of a chromatic panorama of national design in the 1960s. The studies were organized in three steps. The first one was a panorama of general history of Brazil of 1960 – putting the several political, economics and cultural events of that time – and of design history – which was related to the consumption of artifacts, industry and put aspects of emergence of formal design education in Brazil, which took place during this period – of the 1960s, in order to situate the reader of the historical context selected for the study. Next, analysing aspects of color theory – such as physical and physiological characteristics besides the use and construction of meaning of some colors to Western society with emphasis on aspects of chromophobia and chromophilia, these will be the guiding thread of the work and that will be the analysis of artifacts selected for this study. It is understood by chromophobia the fear of color usage, and chromophilia as diversified use of a color palette – this two concepts have been studied by authors such as John Gage and David Batchelor, and have been identified at various times in the history of world art. And last, it was briefly presented features and historical aspects of the covers of Brazilian albums of the 1960s, armchairs and chairs also produced in Brazil (these artifacts selected for the final analysis of the study), and performed an initial analysis of the same color, making connections between color, history and society of the time. By studying the general and national design history and color theory represented by artifacts followed by observation and analysis is meant the study of these three major areas (general history, design and color theory) with an intrinsic relationship in many aspects. With this study it became possible to observe an aesthetic and social ambiguity of the season. Modernism was still present and with it characteristics of chromophobia were widely discussed and observed. However, aspects and concepts of chromophilia were seen at various times of the Tropicalia movement, which sought to develop a mix of different references (national and international) for the creation of a unique Brazilian identity and strengthened - being extremely representative and going against the dictatorial period lived in the country in the 1960s. The construction and use of colors in the artifacts go beyond an aesthetic predilection, and carries all the various meanings built by society throughout history for each one of the colors.