Tropicália, Penetrables PN 2 'Purity is a myth' and PN 3 'Imagetical' 1967

Helio Oiticica created these walk-in environments in the late 1960s, using plants, sand, gravel, fabric, and even live birds. He called them 'Penetrables' - a signal that you are invited to enter and explore. This is not a painting or sculpture to be passively observed. It's a multi-sensory experience, engaging sight, touch, and even smell. The materials are deliberately humble: ordinary plants in terracotta pots, cheap printed fabrics. It is the way these elements are combined that gives the work its power. Notice the contrast between the natural elements and the geometric structures, like the wire cage. This contrast is key. Oiticica was deeply engaged with the social and political context of Brazil at the time, particularly the country's rapid industrialization. By bringing together natural and artificial elements, he encourages us to reflect on the relationship between nature and culture, and challenges the traditional divide between art and everyday life. Ultimately, Oiticica asks us to consider how we can create spaces that are both stimulating and inclusive.