Contardo Calligaris' style of expressing himself was very particular. The psychoanalyst, who died of cancer on Tuesday (30) at the age of 72, used engaging gestures, seductive looks, ironic strokes, and an accent that mixed Italian, English, and Portuguese. He used this in professional debates as well as in socializing with friends.
Calligaris' death was confirmed by his son, filmmaker Maximilien Calligaris, on a social media network. According to him, in the face of death, his father said he hoped to "live it up." The psychoanalyst, writer, and playwright had established himself in Brazil in the last two decades as a fine observer of the country's culture and behavior.
Over time, the rigidity of his initial approaches became more relaxed. The subjects were no longer academic or more related to his office. Calligaris started to feel more at ease - perhaps more Brazilian—to deal with events in his daily life in São Paulo. He became a chronicler of the city, with an acidic and wry view, transforming prosaic events into pieces about human behavior.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon