Melina Romano's laboratory opens to the public with the exhibition "Body-Territory", which brings together various artistic forms with indigenous inspiration
Submitted at Apr 27, 2026, 8:00 AM
LAB MR, de Melina Romano (LAB MR/Divulgação)
Melina Romano, a professional on the CASACOR São Paulo roster, took a new step in her career with the opening of LAB MR. The new space occupies the 31st floor of the iconic Edifício Itália, in downtown São Paulo (SP), and is dedicated to exhibitions that combine art, architecture, and design.
Novo Espaço LAB MR no Edifício Itália (LAB MR/Divulgação)
A variety of events, gatherings, and collaborative processes are set to fill LAB MR over the coming months — starting with the current exhibition “Body-Territory”, curated by Ana Carolina Ralston. In addition, the initiative positions itself as a permanent field for research, critique, and documentation related to areas of knowledge.
Rodrigo Silveira, Cadeira Queimada (LAB MR/Divulgação)
It's no coincidence that Melina chose the building where she has kept her office for five years to house the new project. “I chose to be in Edifício Itália because of a connection with its history. We are talking about one of the most emblematic landmarks of modern architecture in São Paulo. Placing the LAB in this context creates a dialogue between the modern legacy and the contemporary investigations we propose,” she says in an interview with CASACOR.
After 20 years in her career, Melina Romano found in this launch a way to go beyond her architectural projects. “At many moments, I felt that the project, by itself, could not encompass all the thinking, experimentation, and exchange in our creative process. Creating the LAB was a way to expand all of that. A space where architecture, art, and design cease to operate in isolation and begin to coexist,” she explains.
More than an exhibition space, the architect defines LAB MR as “a laboratory of experimentation, where the process is as important as the result” — encouraging ideas to always be tested, challenged, and shared.
Novo Espaço LAB MR no Edifício Itália (LAB MR/Divulgação)
With this in mind, Melina chose the theme “Affect” to start the project. “We live in a moment when everything is very fast, immediate, and affect, to me, appears as a form of resistance. Not only in the sense of your affections themselves, but of being affected. Within the LAB, affect is not treated in a literal or romantic way, but in what cuts across processes, relationships, and experiences,” she notes.
To kick off LAB MR’s program, the exhibition “Body-Territory” opened on March 28 and will welcome visitors until May 23. The show brings together works by Tamikuã Txihi, Rodrigo Silveira, Gustavo Utrabo, Hugo Fortes, and Henrique Sur. Their works stem from a concept associated with Indigenous feminist movements of Abya Yala, which understand the body as the first territorial instance of experiences, memories, and struggles.
Hugo Fortes, Mamirauá Séries (LAB MR/Divulgação)
“During the visit, the public encounters works that traverse different languages, from art to design and architecture, and that explore relationships with identity, ancestry, and territory. These are works that do not impose themselves directly, but invite a quieter, almost intimate experience. There is a spatial construction designed to slow the gaze, allowing each person to establish their own relationship with the works,” anticipates Melina.
Throughout the year, the new LAB MR promises to be in constant motion — with a schedule that includes exhibitions, artist residencies, meetings with creatives, guided visits, and immersive experiences. For the most curious, Melina Romano leaves her final note: “As a spoiler, I can say that we will have some mid-year courses aimed at artists, designers, architects, and amateurs (in the sense of loving) in these fields.”
When: Between March 28 and May 23, 2026 | Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Edifício Itália (Av. Ipiranga, 344, suite 311C – 31st floor)
Free admission
