The legacy left by Francisco Brennand from Pernambuco, by Regina Galvão

The ceramic tradition in Brazil dates back to the original peoples, who modeled clay to create utilitarian objects: jugs, pans and pots for storing water and food. As a coating, the material became widely used during the colonization period, with pieces of different sizes, being brought from Portugal. In art, painted ceramic panels decorated churches, mansions and houses. Throughout history, more and more artists were dedicating themselves to clay modeling, creating, now sculptures, now decorative objects, of different formats and styles. The greatest exponent in this area was, no doubt, the Pernambuco sculptor Francisco Brennand (1927-2019), who was also a painter, illustrator, engraver and draftsman.

Ricardo Brennand Institute, also known as Brennand Castle, is a Brazilian non-profit cultural institution located in the city of Recife – PE - Brazil. Photo: Shutterstock

Brennand's first contact with ceramics took place at Cerâmica São João da Várzea, in Recife, founded by his father, in 1917. Years later, in 1971, the tile and brick factory, deactivated since the 1990s 1940, became his space for research and artistic practice.

Christening of the Francisco Brennand Workshop, the place still has manufacturing facilities today, ceramic kilns and hundreds of works by the award-winning artist, in its majestic architectural complex of great cultural interest, having been transformed into a museum, in 2019, year of his death.

Ricardo Brennand Institute, also known as Brennand Castle, is a Brazilian non-profit cultural institution located in the city of Recife – PE - Brazil. Photo: Shutterstock

In addition to the copyright works created in the studio, the Pernambuco native made a point of passing on his knowledge to potters and decorators, dedicated to manufacturing ceramic and utility tiles. These experienced artisans, that since the death of the master, to 92 years, keep Cerâmica Brennand active, producing pieces based on the artist's techniques and iconography. A small sample of what has been done there was presented, at the end of August, at the Rotas Brasileiras fair, organized by SP-Arte, in São Paulo. Vases, bottles, fruit trees, dishes, cups and dishes, as well as limited edition sculptures, form the important portfolio left by the Pernambuco native. Your legacy is perpetuated by the hands of your team, that not only praises the work of the master, but also provides income for the institution, visited all year round by Brazilians and foreigners, in the city of Recife. Certainly a place in Brazil that deserves to be visited.

Regina Galvão has been a journalist specializing in architecture and design for more than 20 years, having worked at Casa Claudia and Casa Vogue magazines, as editor and awards coordinator for these publications. She was curator of the São Paulo Design Week, o D.W.!, for two seasons and held several exhibitions, amongst them, "New Times", on Casa Brazil Eliane, in 2021. Today, runs his own agency, Forma Brasil, Where do you provide consultancy?, gives lectures on design and popular art and coordinates editorial publications, in addition to presenting the podcasts Casa Frente e Verso, created with journalist Simone Quintas, e o Perkins&Wills São Paulo, started in 2023.