Divino Maravilhoso (Divine and Wonderful), neon sculpture by Felippe Moraes inspired by the song by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, performed by Gal Costa

Felippe Moraes
Divino Maravilhoso (Divine and Wonderful), 2019
Neon
140 × 110 cm

The work Divino Maravilhoso (Divine and Wonderful, 2019), by Felippe Moraes, consists of a neon sculpture that evokes one of the most emblematic songs in Brazilian popular music. The luminous phrase recalls the refrain of the song composed by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil in 1968 and immortalized in Gal Costa’s interpretation.

In the exhibition Solfejo (Centro Cultural FIESP, 2019), where it was first presented, references to music appear both in works that produce or transform sound and in works that draw on lyrics and melodies to build a poetic, visual field. Within this context, neon acts as a direct, vibrant language, bringing the world of contemporary art closer to the expressive intensity of popular song.

The choice of this line emphasizes the repetitive, striking nature of the refrain, a central element in the collective memory of songs. The intense luminosity of the neon amplifies this quality, turning the words into physical, spatial presence.

Encountering the work, the viewer is led to mentally recall the sequence of the lyrics, which resonate as a warning that still feels current today. “É preciso estar atento e forte / Não temos tempo de temer a morte”. (free translation). Thus, the sculpture articulates musical memory, popular culture and visual language in a gesture that synthesizes art and music.

Selected Exhibitions

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