Anita Malfati e a arte como direito das mulheres: modernismo, gênero e formação crítica

Abstract

This article analyzes the trajectory and artistic production of Anita Malfatti (1889-1964) within the context of Brazilian Modernism. Understanding art as a social and cultural right, it reflects on the gender challenges faced by women in the 20th century. Therefore, this bibliographical and exploratory research seeks to answer how Malfatti's experience can contribute to the understanding of art as a right and inspire inclusive pedagogical practices. Initially, the study contextualizes the artist's life and four of her fundamental works: A Boba, A Onda, O Farol, and Samba, thus highlighting the physical, aesthetic, and social barriers she overcame in an environment marked by prejudice and gender precepts. Next, it discusses the insertion of Modernism in Brazil, highlighting the role of women in art and the limits imposed by a masculine and elitist cultural structure. However, the personal and academic justification reinforces the relevance of the study, highlighting the power of art as a space for resistance, identity affirmation, and social transformation. Art is more than aesthetics: it is voice, it is presence, it is a right.