July 23, 2005

Jose Francisco Borges (he signs his work as J. Borges)is an artist from northeastern Brazil who makes woodcut prints and publishes cordels (a local type of chapbook). His work has been displayed in many places, and at the age of 70 has recently started dabbling in sculpture.

Here's a recent write-up on him from the NY Times (PDF). Here's more about the cordel, as well as pictures of others' work (in Portuguese). Another article in Portuguese has some images of his more recent work in color.

posted by patita 19 years ago
  • I liked this post. People on this site are starting to irritate me because they are not supporting other posters and making comments in good posts, preferring to witter on in the older ones and make stupid jokes, which are fine but not if you neglect posting. In fact I may actually post several posts violating the rules just as a protest also I am bored.
  • Indded a fine post - gorgeous work and put me in mind of similar pamphlet traditions in ealry Europe. Go to admire a man who takes up a new artistic challenge at 70 too - that's the spirit.
  • un- has been the champion of putting together a good post lately, and inspired me to do this one. I knew that at least a few people here would appreciate seeing his work. I got to meet Borges and his son Ivan when they were in town at Tesoros for a show of their work, and he read from one of his cordels (something about a pig breeder as the ultimate capitalist). I don't understand Portuguese, but it was still an interesting experience.
  • Excellent. Cheers
  • Many bananas for patita! Borges looks alot happier in the 2005 pic than he did in the 1990 one. Just a matter of camera distance?
  • Only Borges I'd heard of before this was Jorge Luis. Nor did I know of the cordel before. Thanks, patita!