The painter, sculptor, film-maker and performance artist Hélio Oiticica (1937–80) was a key exponent of Neo-Concretism, a movement that began in Brazil in the late 1950s and encouraged viewers to interact physically with works of art. As Oiticica’s work grew more colourful and larger in scale, so too did his influence: his ‘penetrable’ installation Tropicália (1967) gave its name to a broader cultural movement that spanned poetry and music as well as visual art. This exhibition at Dia Beacon includes work from 1958–66, during which time Oiticica undertook numerous experiments with planes, geometrical forms and space in both two and three dimensions (until 1 November 2026). At the centre of this show is Grand Nucleus (1960–63), a maze of yellow and orange panels suspended from the ceiling. The structure invites us to wander through it, dissolving the barrier between audience and artwork.
Find out more from Dia Beacon’s website.
Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary

