‘THE BEAUTY OF MEAT’ - EXPLORING FRANCIS BACON'S QUEER PERSPECTIVE AT MASP

We are delighted to announce Francis Bacon’s first solo exhibition in Brazil, titled "Francis Bacon: The Beauty of Meat," at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand (MASP).

"Francis Bacon: The Beauty of Meat" offers a queer perspective on the artist’s work. While this framework is often discussed, this exhibition marks the first time it is used as the primary reference. The exhibition will showcase Bacon’s work from the 1940s through the 1980s, featuring pieces from over 20 international museums and private collections.

The title of the exhibition is inspired by a statement made by the artist in one of the interviews conducted by art critic David Sylvester in 1966: 

“[...] one has got to remember as a painter that there is this great beauty of the colour of meat. [...] We are meat, we are potential carcasses. If I go into a butcher’s shop, I always think it is surprising that I wasn’t there instead of the animal.”

Bacon reveals his fascination with meat displayed in butcher shops. His words highlight the dualities woven throughout his art: the juxtaposition of beauty with horror, life with death, seduction with destruction, and the merging of painting with the visceral reality of the human body.

The exhibition runs until 28 July 2024 and a catalogue has been published to accompany the show. You can purchase your copy here.