by abduzeedo
Explore how Davartos uses Brazilian Anthropophagy design method to create "Third-World Art." A deep dive into branding, worldbuilding, and the unique ONCA art method.
Brazil's creative scene is hitting a new peak with Davartos, a São Paulo-based studio that is redefining what it means to create "Third-World Art." Led by ROCHA Branding, the studio acts as a multidisciplinary hub for everything from classical painting and music composition to complex worldbuilding for an upcoming cRPG. Their work is not just about aesthetics; it is a deep dive into Latin American identity, heavily influenced by the "Manifesto Antropófago" (Cannibalist Manifesto) by Oswald de Andrade. This philosophy of Anthropophagy suggests that Brazilian culture should "devour" foreign influences, digesting them to create something entirely new and authentically local.
The visual identity of Davartos is a masterclass in this "devouring" process. Their branding materials lean into the provocative slogan "Where Ideas Grow Teeth," signaling a move away from passive consumption toward active, critical creation. You can see this tension in their Protagonist Concept for "Forty Years Later," where gritty realism meets a unique "Tupi or not Tupi?" spirit. By citing 20th-century thinkers like Darcy Ribeiro and Sergio Buarque de Holanda, Davartos grounds its modern digital art in a legacy of sociological critique.
What makes this project stand out is the "ONCA" art method, which focuses on the digestion of global culture into a "Third-World" perspective. The studio's branding artifacts utilize high-contrast layouts and bold typography to echo the revolutionary spirit of the Brazilian modernists. It is a reminder that design can be a tool for decolonization, especially when it embraces its own "underdeveloped" roots to outshine the bright future.
Davartos proves that the most exciting work happens when we stop imitating and start "eating." If you are looking for inspiration that bites back, this studio is the one to watch.
The images detailed in the project analysis are located after this text.
Credits: ROCHA Branding
