Gertrudes Altschul
Subtitle: filigree
By: edited and curated by Adriano Pedrosa, Tomás Toledo ; texts by Abigail Lapin Dardashti [and seven others] ; translation, Georgia Fleury Reynolds
Contributors: Altschul, Gertrudes, 1904-1962, photographer; Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand
Publisher: MASP, Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand
Published: 2021
Place of publication: São Paulo
Language: eng; por
Number of pages: 223
ISBN-13: 9786557770122
Copyright date: 2021
Subjects: Exhibitions; Artistic Photography; Women photographers
Other titles: Filigree
Description: Gertrudes Altschul (b. 1904-1962) was a pioneering figure in Brazilian modernist photography. Despite being acknowledged in the field of photography in Brazil, her work is known only in specialized circles, having been scantly published and exhibited something that this exhibition, the first in a museum, and its publication intend to rectify. Of Jewish origin, Altschul migrated to Brazil in 1939 from her native Berlin with her husband, Leon Altschul (1890-1975), fleeing the Nazi regime. They settled in São Paulo, where she divided her time between photography and the production of flowers for hats in a factory they managed. Altschulœs photographic work was in tune with the language of Brazilian modern photography, which sought to break away from the classic principles of composition by using abstract and figurative geometric constructions, while experimenting with light, shadow, lines, rhythms, planes as well as development and printing photo processes. In this context, Altschulœs themes concentrated on Brazilian modern architecture and botanical motifs, primarily leaves, as well as everyday objects in different scales, photographic still lives of sorts. The exhibition, which borrows its title from Filigrana [Filigree], one of the Altschulœs most celebrated photographs , presents 62 vintage photographs. The works are grouped into major themes: botany, architecture and still lifes. There are also some images of people, something less frequently explored by Altschul.

Gertrudes Altschul (b. 1904-1962) was a pioneering figure in Brazilian modernist photography. Despite being acknowledged in the field of photography in Brazil, her work is known only in specialized circles, having been scantly published and exhibited something that this exhibition, the first in a museum, and its publication intend to rectify. Of Jewish origin, Altschul migrated to Brazil in 1939 from her native Berlin with her husband, Leon Altschul (1890-1975), fleeing the Nazi regime. They settled in São Paulo, where she divided her time between photography and the production of flowers for hats in a factory they managed. Altschulœs photographic work was in tune with the language of Brazilian modern photography, which sought to break away from the classic principles of composition by using abstract and figurative geometric constructions, while experimenting with light, shadow, lines, rhythms, planes as well as development and printing photo processes. In this context, Altschulœs themes concentrated on Brazilian modern architecture and botanical motifs, primarily leaves, as well as everyday objects in different scales, photographic still lives of sorts. The exhibition, which borrows its title from Filigrana [Filigree], one of the Altschulœs most celebrated photographs  , presents 62 vintage photographs. The works are grouped into major themes: botany, architecture and still lifes. There are also some images of people, something less frequently explored by Altschul.
Notes: Published on the occasion of the exhibition held at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand, MASP from August 27, 2021 to January 30, 2022.

Includes bibliographical references (page 216).
Table of contents: title: Gertrudes Altschul at MASP; title: Filigrees: The twelve photographs by Gertrudes Altschul in the MAP FCCB Collection / Adriano Pedrosa and Tomas Toledo; title: Circulating images and ideas: Gertrudes Altschul in print / Sarah Hermanson Meister; title: Between the cigarette and the tablecloth: Gertrudes Altschul and the foto cine clube bandeirante / Heloisa Espada; title: Photoclubism, gender, and artification: Gertrudes Altschul / Helouise Costa; title: The architecture of plants: Gertrudes Altschul, ecology and the rise of the paulista skyscraper / Abigail Lapin Dardashti; title: Elements of a (Brazilian) landscate: Gertrudes Altschul / Paula Vistoria Kupfer; title: Gertrudes Altschul: photographs; title: Exhibition checklist; title: BIographical note / Guillerme Giufrida.