Call for papers for a special issue in the journal Art&Sensorium (Vol.15 - No. 01 - 2026)

Tarsila do Amaral, Many Interesting Matters: 100 Years Since Her First Exhibition (1926–2026)

Alexandre Araujo Bispoi, Michele Bete Petryii

Tarsila do Amaral. The Fair I, [1924]. Oil on canvas, 60.8 × 73.1 cm. Private collection. © Tarsila do Amaral Licenciamento e Empreendimentos S.A. (Brazil)

“Perhaps one day I will decide to write my memoirs (which is very much in fashion), in which I will have the opportunity to recount, in detail, many interesting things.”

(Tarsila do Amaral, 1952)

The memoirs of Tarsila do Amaral (1886–1973) were never written by the artist as she had intended, yet they circulate in diverse forms through her art and life history. In 2026, one hundred years will have passed since her first solo exhibition, held at the Galerie Percier in Paris. Although she became internationally recognized from this milestone onward, her artistic production predates 1926, which on this occasion invites reflection on the current state of research on the artist. Accordingly, this dossier seeks to bring together a collection of academic texts that take Tarsila do Amaral as their central focus, originating from Brazilian or international research, in accordance with the editorial guidelines of Art&Sensorium. The aim is to reflect on the importance of the artist within the history of Brazilian art and contemporary art criticism, considering the legacy of previous scholarship—most notably that of Aracy A. Amaral (1975)—while simultaneously opening new possibilities for research grounded in this tradition.

The dossier invites authors to submit original and unpublished works from fields such as Aesthetics, History, Art History and Art Criticism, Anthropology of Art, Sociology of Art, and Visual Studies, focusing on the visual and written production of Tarsila do Amaral. Articles are welcome that present in-depth case studies of specific works or that explore materials still little investigated in this context, such as personal and public documents, including photographs, films, newspapers, and magazines, as well as processes related to the reception and exhibition of her work, whether prior to or following the period outlined.

Additionally, this call aims to contribute to the development of a contemporary research framework on the artist, highlighting the breadth of her oeuvre, its social implications, and the potential of new research questions or theoretical and methodological approaches, as well as the impact of her poetics on the work of other artists.

Call Schedule: