León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007. Tate. © Leon Ferrari.
12 rooms in Media Networks
Explore an artist who was central to debates about art and politics in Latin America and question what newspapers tell us about society and politics
'Art is not beauty or novelty, art is effectiveness and disruption', Ferrari wrote. Throughout his career he used his art to draw attention to state-sponsored crimes and censorship. He often criticised the Argentine government and the Catholic Church for their human rights abuses. In 1976, a right-wing military dictatorship seized power in Argentina. Due to his political stance, Ferrari and his family were forced to flee to Brazil. His son, Ariel, was one of the many citizens abducted by the military. His whereabouts remain unknown and he is presumed to be dead.
While in exile, Ferrari began to explore ways to distribute his art more widely. His methods included photocopying, heliography (an early method of photographic printing) and the internet. The works in this room are based on newspaper and magazine extracts. Ferrari would cut them out, sometimes add his own drawings or collage, and photocopy them. Ferrari's reworking of religious imagery led to controversy. In 2004, Pope Francis—then Archbishop of Buenos Aires—called his art blasphemous. He demanded that an exhibition of Ferrari's work should be closed. 'It isn't anti-religious art', Ferrari responded, 'but an art that is against repression and against torture, whether it is religious or not.
León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
In 1976 a military dictatorship seized power in Argentina. Opponents of the regime were arrested. Others ‘disappeared’ – secretly murdered or imprisoned without any legal process. Ferrari collected newspaper articles about the unidentified bodies that appeared in Buenos Aires. He saw them as evidence of the acts of violence carried out by the government. He wanted to challenge people who claimed that they didn’t know what was happening. Eventually Ferrari had to leave the country for fear of persecution. He published his clippings in a book, and would distribute them as photocopies through the post.
Gallery label, December 2020
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artworks in León Ferrari
León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 1976–7, enlarged version 2007
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León Ferrari, [no title] 2001, reproduced 2007
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Art in this room
León Ferrari
[no title]
2001, reproduced 2007
León Ferrari
[no title]
1976–7, enlarged version 2007
León Ferrari
[no title]
1976–7, enlarged version 2007
León Ferrari
[no title]
2001, reproduced 2007
León Ferrari
[no title]
1976–7, enlarged version 2007
León Ferrari
[no title]
2001, reproduced 2007
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