Armorial 55 Years

The Movimento Armorial was launched by Ariano Suassuna in 1970 in Recife, aiming to produce a Brazilian Art deeply connected to the roots of our folk culture. Rather than proposing rigid guidelines, the movement sought to converge different art forms such as Dance, Literature, Painting, Music, and Theater.

Suassuna proposed bringing together these artistic expressions by using as a common thread the connection to the magical spirit of the Romanceiro Popular do Nordeste expressed in Cordel literature, in the music of the viola, rabeca, or pífano that accompanies its songs, in the woodcut prints that illustrate its covers, and also in folk performances such as Reisado, Maracatu, Cavalhada, and many others. By advocating for the integration of these expressions, Ariano sought to immortalize the culture of the sertanejo: a legacy of resilience, pain, and beauty.

In line with the spirit that guided Suassuna, the exhibition gathers these arts, introducing the pioneering and engaged work of the author to new generations. It shows how he proposed a return to Brazilian roots, with respect for diversity and the traditions of Black, Indigenous, and Caucasian people, but presenting everything in a magical, playful, and humorous way — a humor that makes people think.

To help the audience better understand, the exhibition is divided into sections: Ariano Suassuna - Life and Work; Armorial - Experimental Phase; Armorial - Second Phase; Armorial - Today and Always; Armorial - References. Each section brings together a significant collection of works, accompanied by explanatory texts.

Ariano spent his childhood in Taperoá, Paraíba, where he experienced the essence of the Sertão in its most genuine form: the cowherds' calls, the rhythm of stories told around bonfires, the dry and luminous colors of the caatinga, and the marks of folk culture. This region of Cariri, which encompasses both the Sertão of Paraíba and Ceará, is not just a geographical space but a mythical territory in Ariano's life and work, a testament to the telluric force of the Sertão and the sertanejo's ability to create beauty amidst aridity.

Being in Ceará, therefore, is a moment for the Armorial 50 project to highlight a shared tradition and celebrate the common roots of Northeastern identity that Ariano so passionately defended.

Enjoy your visit!!!

Denise Mattar

Curator of the Exhibition