Nino Rezende





Annemarie Heinrich





Joaquim Paiva

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1946. Collector of Contemporary Brazilian and Foreign Photography, photographer.

Began collecting in 1978, acquiring his first pictures by North-American photographer Diane Arbus. But it was Brazilian Photography that called out his atention as a collector, having gathered, at present, around 2200 images by 170 Brazilian contemporary photographers. The Brazilian Collection was first partially exhibited for the first time in São Paulo, Brazil, in May 1993 at Casa Fuji, during the I International Month of Photography, under the organization of Núcleo de Amigos da Fotografia (Nafoto) – Center for Friends of Photography. Exhibits followed in: 1994, San Francisco, USA, at the Center for the Arts at Yerba Buena Gardens; 1995, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil; 1996, Curitiba, Brazil, during the I International Biennial of Photography and Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the General San Martín Theater; 1997, Buenos Aires, in the same venue; 1998, FotoFest Houston, Texas, USA; 1999, Lima, Peru, at the Cultural Center of Universidad Católica and at the Municipalidad de Miraflores Gallery; 2000, La Paz, Bolivia, at the Museum of Art of La Paz; 2001, Paris, France, at the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, with pictures by Alair Gomes; and in 2002, in São Paulo, Brazil, an exhibition of 315 pictures by 97 Brazilian photographers at Oca Pavillion, Ibirapuera Park, organized by the company BrasilConnects, running parallel to the São Paulo Biennial.

His Foreign Collection of approximately 300 images by 70 photographers has been built up mostly after he started taking part at FotoFest, Houston, USA – The International Biennial of Photography in the years of 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. FotoFest Houston is one of the most important events in the international circuit of photography. The Foreign Collection was only once partially exhibited once in the year 2000, in Lima , Peru – “10 North-American Photographers” – at El Ojo Ajeno Gallery. The Foreign Collection is made out of multiple nationality photographers, mostly North and Latin-American, as well as some Europeans.

As a photographer, Joaquim Paiva showed his personal work in numerous exhibitions in Brazil and abroad and was granted an Acquisition Prize at the VIII Salon of Visual Arts, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1985. The artist has works in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Modern Art (Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection), both in Rio de Janeiro; Musée Français de la Photographie, Bièvres, France; at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA; as well as in the Museu of Memória Candanga (the City ´s Pioneers Museum) and in the Art Museum, both in Brasilia, Brazil, among others.

Published the translation “Ensaios sobre a Fotografia” from the American original “On Photography” by Susan Sontag, Arbor Books , Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1981; “Olhares Refletidos” (Reflected Looks) – a dialogue with 25 Brazilian photographers, Ágil/Dazibao Books, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1989; “Aos pés de Batman” (At Batman´s feet) , poems, Iluminuras Books, São Paulo, Brazil, 1994; and “Brasília, de 0 a 40”, a catalogue with 49 of his pictures( from 1970 to 1972) of Núcleo Bandeirante or Cidade Livre (Free City) , a pioneer city in greater Brasília, published by Arte 21 - Escritório de Arte, Brasília, Brazil, 2000. The company BrasilConnects also published the book “ Visions and Dazzlements – Contemporary Brazilian Photography in the Joaquim Paiva Collection”, with 275 images of 97 Brazilian photographers, in August 2003.

Has participated as a portfolio reviewer at FotoFest Houston, USA (2000, 2002 and 2004), at Encuentros Abiertos de Buenos Aires (2002 and 2004), FotoRio (2003) and FotoArte Brasília (2004).

Has lived most of his life in Brazil, but has also lived, as a diplomat, in Canada, Venezuela, Portugal, Argentina and Peru. In these countries he has taken part in many photography connected activities, either as a collector or as a photographer. At present , he lives in Madrid, Spain.

March, 2005.

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