S.M. (Santa Maria) (1961) by Joaquim RodrigoNational Museum of Contemporary Art - Museu do Chiado
A red boat in a blue sea, between suns, festive flags, parachutes, guns, heads of heroes... Feast, enjoyment and hope fill this painting that could not be named at the policing times in which it was painted... With it began a period of and references to political or social events.
José-Augusto França
The painting S.M. (Santa Maria) by Joaquim Rodrigo is considered a major work of the Portuguese art from the 1960s and a reference work in the collection of National Museum of Contemporary Art.
Kultur - 1962 (1962) by Joaquim RodrigoNational Museum of Contemporary Art - Museu do Chiado
His figurative painting focuses initially on the production of a critical discourse on the political and social context of Portugal in the 1960s, especially the colonial war, progressively evolving into more introspective subjects with a strong memorialist and narrative character, which denote its constant reflection on the events that surround it.
Santa Maria news (1961)National Museum of Contemporary Art - Museu do Chiado
Through a set of codes and signs, Joaquim Rodrigo narrates the famous hijacking of the cruise liner Santa Maria by the Direção Revolucionária Ibérica de Libertação (Iberian Revolutionary Direction of Liberation) - a group of Portuguese and Spaniards who opposed the dictatorial governments of Salazar and Franco headed by the captain Henrique Galvão.
S.M. (Santa Maria) (1961) by Joaquim RodrigoNational Museum of Contemporary Art - Museu do Chiado
The liner “Santa Maria” is named after its initials, and the letters "T.S." refer to the plane that flew over the ship.
The central head represents Captain Henrique Galvão.
On the left, in blue, Rodrigo illustrates the episode the photographer sent by Paris-Match magazine who joined the insurgents by parachute.
Santa Maria & parachutist (1961)National Museum of Contemporary Art - Museu do Chiado
On the left, the Paris-Match photographer preparing to jump. On the right, an American plane flying over Santa Maria.
In this painting, Rodrigo interrupts the brownish palette which he was already using as a personal theory of painting that he will develop later. Here, he uses only the primary colors, added with the green of the marine background, scene of the narrative. This work is part of a very particular moment of national political life and is part of a set of works by the author, with an eminently political mark.
Angelina Pessoa, António Chaparreiro
