"Oceano, aceita-me?": O desamparo na obra autobiográfica de José Leonilson

Abstract

In this research, we focus on the self-narrative present in artistic production, with an emphasis on autobiographical works that contribute to the understanding of the Freudian notion of helplessness (Hilflosigkeit). To this end, we analyze selected works by the Ceará-born artist José Leonilson (1957-1993), whose oeuvre includes paintings, drawings, embroideries, sculptures, and installations. We recognize the importance of his work, which stands as an exemplar of a period strongly marked by homophobia and the HIV epidemic, especially during the 1980s and early 1990s. Methodologically, the analysis of the selected works is based on the model of the Triple Mimesis proposed by Paul Ricœur. As autobiographical support, we highlight the use of audio recordings of the artist himself featured in the 2015 documentary A paixão de JL. It is worth noting that, in the face of an HIV diagnosis during that period, helplessness manifested in different dimensions: the precarious public responses aimed at prevention, treatment, and care for people living with HIV; the intense stigma associated with HIV, mediated and popularized as the “gay plague”; as well as the illness itself and the imminence of death. Thus, the narratives produced by Leonilson, whether in oral accounts or works of art, constitute significant records of a historical and social moment that must not be forgotten.