Capoiera Formal, Sidney Lizardo (Lizar)

Photographer

Drewal, Henry John

Date

• 1978

Summary

• Capoiera Formal (oil on canvas, 35 7/16" x 42 1/4", 1978) by Brazilian artist, Sidney Lizardo (Lizar). Lizar's work engages formal elements, such as color harmonies, lines, and shapes, to evoke the tension, speed, and polyrhythms inherent to the African martial art form capoeira. Brought to Brazil in the sixteenth or seventeenth century, capoeira, which encompasses the arts of fight, dance, song, poetry and music, played a central role in Black resistance to slavery. It is still a vital Afro symbol in Brazil today.