Personal and, therefore, national. This is how the illustrator and animator Rui de Oliveira defines his characteristics. Professor at the Fine Arts School since 1983, Rui will have now a retrospective of his work exhibited at the D. João VI Museum from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
“If the words represent the spirit, the illustration certainly is the body.
These two things are indissoluble.”
An interview by Rodrigo Rötzsch
Professor, when did your interest for drawing begin and what does it mean to you?
I have always drawn, since I was a child, even without much incentive – my parents did not draw. It was essential for me to communicate with other people and with myself. I was shy and lived in the poor outskirts. Drawing represented to me a social climbing. It was through it that I was able to achieve many things, materially speaking. Besides that, I was able to express myself and to I attain a personal, cultural and spiritual improvement.
How did your experience on TV influence your work? (Rui de Oliveira worked at Globo TV and at TVE (the Brazilian Public Network). He is responsible, among other things, for the vignette of “Sitio do Pica-Pau Amarelo’s” first edition).
It was fundamental. TV basically requires from the designer a synthesis work. Everything on TV is very fast, the screen is small and the information must be synthetic. This formal depuration required by the TV is very important for the graphic designer creation. It teaches how to be economic, direct and gives possibilities of many resources that illustration, design and cartoon do not give.
Do you explore elements from the Brazilian culture in your courses? Please, explain this question a little.
Design is a manifestation of a country’s culture. Thus, all the advise I give to my students in terms of practical execution and of theoretical discussion is about Brazilian matters. I work with the universal culture topics but always with an emphasis and an intention of comprehension of our own reality.
How this Brazilian culture valorization is manifested in your artistic work?
As an illustrator, I work with different themes. I have already illustrated Victor Hugo, fairy tales and Brazilian realistic authors. Due to this diversification it is easier to find my personal face than a national image in my work. I cannot nationalize Victor Hugo neither fairy tales. I can give a version of a Brazilian artist. Without the intention of being national, my way of illustrating is personal. Nevertheless, being personal it is national due to my nationality.
How does your personal style mix with that of the writers you illustrate?
Literature is what makes me illustrate. What makes me drawing are the words. I do not come up to a text with a pre-determined style. After reading the text I find a determined image. This is very clear in the exhibition. I believe that to illustrate is also a way of making literature, I mean, visual literature. I would also say that if the words represent the spirit, the illustration certainly represents the body. These two things are indissoluble. This was also the theme of my PhD dissertation.
Just to finish our interview, what do you think is more important to someone who wants to become a renowned illustrator?
If there exists a magical word for training, evolution or even success of a professional in the design and illustration area, it would be perseverance, total dedication to work. I wake up thinking about drawing and I go to sleep thinking about drawing. A very important aspect is something called self-confidence. This does not invalidate the natural talent. I do not mystify the talent but I think you must enhance it, specially the student.
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