Given the rise to prominence of an entire generation of Brazilian artists from the '60s and '70s—think Cildo Meireles and Tunga—it's a bit ironic that the radical work of Artur Barrio remains little known outside his own country. That should change with Serralves curator João Fernandes's 150-piece survey, which brings together registros—or documentation—of past “situations” in the form of photographs, slides, and books, as well as recent work. If Barrio's use of unconventional materials like bundles of meat and human waste has certain connections to “abject art,” his ephemeral interventions carry a strong ethical and political charge. The catalogue should bring the work of this potent but neglected artistic force to a wider audience.

— Mónica Amor