The second oldest biennial in the world (second only to
La Biennale in Venice) and the largest contemporary art event in the Southern Hemisphere and the Americas has opened its doors since Wednesday (September 6). With
121 participants and around 1,100 works of art in different languages, the
This year
, the São Paulo Biennial sought to reveal new perspectives on the world based on the urgent needs of the present day. More than 30,000
m2 of the iconic pavilion designed by Oscar Niemeyer in
Ibirapuera Park has been occupied. The space, which underwent accessibility adjustments, also received temporary interventions in its design to host the event.
Check out the 12 highlights from our first visit:
1- Vão - architecture office The first highlight is precisely the
exhibition design carried out by the architectural firm
Vão .
The trio of architects formed by Anna Juni, Enk te Winkel and Gustavo Delonero observed moments in Oscar Niemeyer 's own design where the architect breaks with the straight line, and based on this observation the trio created a new exhibition design. The project takes a different approach that aims to offer a new dynamic to the space, challenging the modernist work. " Our approach consisted of engaging with the existing structure and the possibilities available. This involved not only paying attention to the reuse of materials left over from past exhibitions, but also creating spaces based on the constructive elements that shape the Pavilion itself," say the trio of architects. The trio of architects opted to close the central space on the first floor and create new possibilities for interaction with the space. 2. Ibrahim Mahama There is also another new feature: the entrance for this edition has changed. Visitors start their tour through the glass door at the end of the building, rather than on the sides. Right there, an old-looking train track welcomes the public. This is part of a work by
Ibrahim Mahama , a Ghanaian artist who rescues colonial elements to question the past of his country and all colonized peoples.
He takes them out of context and proposes reflections with the aim of bringing new perspectives and meanings. The tracks refer to the almost 100 years that Ghana was
a British colony , a period in which some Ghanaians were treated as cargo when being transported to the southern region of the country.
3- Denilson Baniwa An artist and activist, Baniwa
addresses the issue of the rights of indigenous peoples; the impact of the colonial system and the valorization of indigenous culture, also proposing reflections on the current condition of indigenous people. He stands out on the list of participants who blur the boundaries of artistic practices.
"One of the most prominent artists of his generation, Denilson Baniwa proposes a reworking of the idea of the archive as a pedagogical instrument for reflection and a factory of history. From his early works, which involved interventions on engravings produced in the context of the colonization of the Americas, to his most recent works, which are of an installation and participatory nature, Baniwa has been interfering in the archive with the aim of tensioning and weakening the accelerated time of conquest and colonization and making the time for reflection, waiting and listening emerge", says art critic Renato Menezes, author of the text for the edition's catalog.
4- Huni Kuin Artists Movement - MAHKU collective On the second floor, visitors are greeted by works by the collective
Movimento dos Artistas Huni Kuin - MAHKU (an indigenous group located in Acre). The paintings draw attention to their neon colors, which seek to translate the images created by the group based on the effect of the herb Avahuasca – a traditional healing ritual performed by the ethnic group.
5- Kapwani Kiwang Kapwani Kiwanga 's works are presented through multiple media, such as installation, sculpture, photography, video and performance. These languages are always considered in relation to his research that touches on marginalized histories, power asymmetries, and historical narratives – especially the
effects of the colonization of the Americas. In this game of symbolic critique and imagination of possible futures, the
installation "Pink-blue" invites us to live with color in its material state. These constructions are often created to impact and control human behavior in public spaces or institutions. Pink appeared in prison systems in the 1970s and was designed to reduce aggression and conflict between inmates. Blue was intentionally used in public restrooms to reduce the visibility of veins and supposedly reduce the use of injectable drugs – which statistically increased the risk of dangerous injections.
6- Rubem Valentin Rubem Valentim 's emblems and objects move between art and religion, composing a symbolic-magical repertoire in geometric aesthetic works that dialogue with Afro-Brazilian religiosity.
The artist
Rubem Valentim (1922-1991) combined elements of modernism and geometric abstraction with African and Afro-Brazilian cultures , and with various Eastern philosophical and mystical currents, always in search of an
awareness of the land , of the people.
7- Sonia Gomes Sonia Gomes' non-figurative work brings up themes such as race, gender and time. Here, the materials evoke stories, memories and affections. Her tied, twisted and sewn pieces transform into sculptural objects.
8 - Rosana Paulino Rosana addresses issues that are still often overlooked, such as discussions on gender, slavery, and the role of black people in society. Her works tend to deal mainly with the position of black women and racism.
(Isabella Matheus/CASACOR)
With two series of works on display on the third floor, Rosana Paulino seeks solutions to make these choreographies possible. In these new paintings, the artist presents feminine entities that are structured on surfaces with various roots. This could be an allusion to the natural body of all sick human beings in this world in crisis.
9- Arthur Bishop of the Rosary Arthur Bispo do Rosario (1909 - 1989) lived as a recluse for fifty years in a mental hospital , where he created his creations, which, according to the artist, were dictated by angels to be presented to God at the Last Judgment. Conceived as an inventory of the world, this artistic collection was listed by the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) in 2018 and was exhibited in exhibitions such as Brazil + 500 rediscovery exhibition and the 30th São Paulo Biennial (Brazil) , in addition to the 55th Venice Biennale (Italy). 10 - Wilfredo Lam "Painting as an act of decolonization" , said Wilfredo Lam , one of the most important Latin American artists. The son of a Cuban mulatto woman and a Chinese businessman, he frequented Candomblé temples as a child, taken by his godmother, the most important Yoruba saint mother in his hometown. His artistic training took place in Madrid, Spain, where he went in 1924 with a scholarship, visiting museums and studying fine arts. He participated in the Spanish Civil War, adopting left-wing political ideals. In the special room at the exhibition, the artist is present with several paintings from his legacy. 11- Francisco Toledo One of the landmarks of Francisco Toledo's work and an expression of his social engagement appears in Papalotes de los perdidos [Kites of the Missing] (2014) – a project exhibited at the 35th São Paulo Biennial . The kites created with the collaboration of attendees of the San Agustín Etla Art and Paper Workshop have joined the many protests that have taken place in Mexico since 2014, when a group of 43 high school students, mostly indigenous, from the Raúl Isidro Burgos Rural Normal School, based in Ayotzinapa, Mexico, were kidnapped by municipal police. 12 - Diane Lima, Grada Kilomba, Helio Menezes and Manuel Borja-Villel “
Our goal was to create an edition without categories or limiting structures . We embraced a decentralized system, moving away from traditional norms. We consciously chose not to have a chief curator, seeking to dissolve hierarchical structures. Our roster of
artists covers a wide spectrum of artistic forms and voices from various territories around the world. So, the question that remains is: how do the impossibilities of our daily lives reflect on artistic production? The choreographies of the impossible help us realize that every day we encounter strategies that challenge the impossible, and it is
these strategies and tools to make the impossible possible that we will find in the artists’ works ,” states the curatorial group.
SERVICE
35th Sao Paulo Biennial – choreographies of the impossible Curated by: Diane Lima, Grada Kilomba, Hélio Menezes and Manuel Borja-Villel Expography: Vão 6 September – 10 December 2023 Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun: 10am – 7pm (last entry: 6:30pm); Thu, Sat: 10am – 9pm (last entry: 8:30pm) Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion / Ibirapuera Park Gate 3 - Sao Paulo, SP
Free Event
