Kleber Amancio is Assistant Professor at the Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia. He holds a Ph.D. in Social History from the University of São Paulo. His research interests include Afro-Latin American art, 19th century Brazilian history, and Brazilian art history. Kleber is the author of several academic publications, including the article “White-Brazilian Art History and the Limits of Black Humanity.” He is also a columnist for Brazil’s black newspaper Alma Preta, which focuses on art and the Afro-diaspora and the host of a podcast dedicated to interviewing Afro-Brazilian visual artists. Dr. Amancio is currently working on a manuscript about the Afro-Brazilian painter Arthur Timotheo da Costa.
Fellowship Project
Modernisms: The Painting of Arthur Timotheo da Costa
Focusing on the painting of Arthur Timotheo da Costa, the project examines the artist’s critique of modernity and whitening projects in Rio de Janeiro in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Modernisms: The Painting of Arthur Timotheo da Costa aims to understand Timotheo da Costa’s position within his artistic and social context, questioning the traditional artistic canon and proposing a more inclusive analysis. By integrating themes of racism and counter-coloniality, the project contributes to a deeper understanding of national modernity and reassesses Costa’s legacy in Brazilian art.