Orlando da Costa Ferreira in review. Intellectual itineraries of an outsider in the world of language and graphic arts

Abstract

Resulting from a very peculiar academic path which combines a late school entry with unprecedented efforts in self-taught studies, and without having a family background that would bequeath privileged social or political relationships, or even material resources, however minimal they may be – which, as a whole, allows us to speak of him as an outsider –, Orlando da Costa Ferreira marked the cultural history of Recife and, to some extent, of Brazil. This is due to the works he produced and the artistic-intellectual initiatives in which he became involved and to which he made a valuable contribution. In this brief essay we try to present a little of his intellectual trajectory, as well as his work with collective initiatives in Recife’s cultural life. At the end of this paper, in order to discuss his expertise as a graphic designer, we present some of his contributions as editor of the Literary Supplement of Jornal do Commercio and the work he developed with the Estudos Universitários journal.