Sobre Ondas is a Brazilian graphic mark created by artist and designer Willys de Castro (1926-1988) for a motorcycle parts shop. The mark dates to 1968-1969, a period when de Castro, best known as a leading figure of Brazil’s Neo-Concrete movement, also worked extensively in graphic design and visual programming.[1]
Design and History
Willys de Castro began his career in graphic design in 1954, when he co-founded the Estúdio de Projetos Gráficos with fellow artist Hércules Barsotti.[2] The studio operated through 1964, during which de Castro developed a body of graphic work that ran parallel to his better-known paintings, objects and sculptures.[3]
The Sobre Ondas mark was designed in 1968-1969 for a motorcycle parts store.[1] It is documented in a 2013 master’s dissertation by Lygia Santiago de Mello, which analyzes four graphic marks created by de Castro and reproduces the Sobre Ondas design in its appendix.[1] The dissertation notes that de Castro designed the mark at the start of the year following his work on another mark, the Centro de Colecionadores de Arte, which dates to the same period.[1]
Meaning and Symbolism
The dissertation treats de Castro’s graphic marks as extensions of his artistic research, describing them as works that combine calculation and poetry.[3] De Castro’s broader practice was rooted in geometric abstraction and the Neo-Concrete movement, which emphasized the expressive and perceptual qualities of form over pure rationalism.[2] The name “Sobre Ondas” translates to “over waves,” though no documented source confirms a specific intended symbolism for the mark itself.
De Castro’s archive, held by the Instituto de Arte Contemporânea in São Paulo, contains extensive studies, sketches and maquettes that reveal his systematic approach to geometry across both his artworks and his graphic projects.[4]
Typography and Design
No documented source specifies the typography, color palette or construction method of the Sobre Ondas mark. The dissertation reproduces the design in its appendix, but the available research does not provide a detailed visual description, color specification or typeface identification.[1]
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