Cildo Meireles

In this analysis of the work by the Brazilian installation artist Cildo Meireles, the critic Paulo Herkenhoff looks at the impact of Meireles' work on the international art of the 1990s. The work is set in its historical context and in relation to predecessors such as Lygia Clark and Helio Oiticica, contemporaries such as Tunga and the recent generation of South American artists whom he has influenced. Also included in the text are writings by the artist himself. These include the detailed project descriptions and accompanying texts that are an integral part of his work. His writing encompasses conceptual art, politics, environmental art and philosophy.