Larissa Saldanha
Biographical note
The researcher has a degree in Social Sciences (UFBA, 2014) and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology (UFBA, 2017), both from the Federal University of Bahia and has taught in schools of the state network of the state of Bahia (Brazil).
In addition, she holds a Master degree in Museology (UFBA, 2021) and as a researcher has published some articles in the field in events in Brazil and Portugal. She worked at the Museum of Art of Bahia (MAB) between 2014 and 2018 – from the Library, to the Direction’s Advisory to the Educational Sector.
Currently, she is a PhD candidate in SocioMuseology at the Lusófona University of Humanities and Technologies with a UNESCO Chair Scholarship – Education, Citizenship and Cultural Diversity (ULHT, 2022-2024).
Areas of academic and scientific interest
- SocioMuseology
- History of Brazilian Museums
- Social Museology
- Museums of Bahia
- José Antônio do Prado Valladares
- Brazilian Art Historiography
- Fine Art Salons in Brazil
- Brazilian Biennial Art Exhibitions
PhD project
- José Valladares and the Fine Arts Salons of Bahia
- Title
Abstract
The Salons of Art in Bahia took place between the years 1949 and 1956 and is considered a movement that fostered the plastic arts in Bahia, which contributed to the creation of the Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia in 1959, and was responsible for attracting the attention of artists and art critics in Brazil. The period is marked by the influence of modernist thought and the Estado Novo (1937-1945), a time when the promotion of culture and national identity were linked, which can be observed in the idea of creating the event, when it defended “that it is the State’s duty to promote and spread artistic culture […] that public exhibitions of original works by Brazilian and foreign artists based in the country are suitable means of fostering the culture of plastic arts”. Oliveira (2011) considers that the Salons of Art were dated events and each edition provides a cut with some common aspects, such as: the state management; the competitive system for the selection and awarding by merit and the relationship with educational systems or disseminators (museums, galleries, art schools). In 1949 the 1st Fine Arts Salon of Bahia was held at the Hotel da Bahia, consisting of the following sections: painting; sculpture; architecture; drawing and engraving, but in 1951 the event’s sections were regrouped. José Antônio do Prado Valladares, one of the creators of the Salons of Bahia, was an intellectual who was abreast of the debates of his time. He was the director of the Museu do Estado da Bahia (1939-1959) and was part of the organizing committee of the event. In view of his professional trajectory that dialogues with the stimulus to the plastic arts in the country, Valladares expressed the desire to hold other Salons, once the first one, which had 15 thousand visitors, was over. However, he wanted the Museum to participate more actively in the cultural life of the state, since the Salons were not held in museums. Having said this, the question is why the Salons of Bahia promoted by José Valladares can be understood as a resource for the promotion and diffusion of Bahia’s artistic culture. In order to answer the research question, we aim to: understand the social and historical context historical context of the Salons; identify the role of José Valladares in the Salons and the presence movement in the history art of Bahia; and, to analyze the content of the catalogs about this events, relating them to José Valladares’ understanding about Museology.