We visited the exhibition "Burle Marx: Plants in Motion", on display until August 2, and reveal how one of Brazil's greatest landscape designers' relationship with native species shaped and transformed his work traduzido por: OPENROUTER
Submitted at May 18, 2026, 3:13 PM
Exposição "Burle Marx: Plantas em movimento" (Milena Garcia/CASACOR)
The Jewish Museum of São Paulo (MUJ) presents the exhibition "Burle Marx: Plants in Movement", featuring more than 111 items from the collection of one of the country's most important landscape architects. While visiting the show, I was able to see up close project drawings, photographs, footage, and documents that convey the relationship of Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994) with native Brazilian species.
Exposição (Milena Garcia/CASACOR)
One of the first things that catches the eye during the tour is the architectural magnitude of the building. Inaugurated in 2021, the MUJ occupies the former Beth-El Temple. It is a synagogue designed in 1928 by the architect Samuel Roder and founded by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Before reaching the landscaping exhibition, I took the opportunity to learn about the religion across the five floors of the museum.
The exhibition "Burle Marx: Plants in Movement" presents an introductory overview of the landscape work of Roberto Burle Marx and his collaborators, focusing on his relationship with native plant species. While appreciating the works, I concluded that the tour can be interesting both for those seeking to learn about the landscape architect's history and for those who already appreciate his work.
Burle Marx became known for creating a tropical landscaping based on observations he made in loco, in exhibitions across Brazil and around the world. With that, he used native plants at a time when the tradition was to import plant species from abroad to design green areas according to traditional French and English models.
Perspectiva Parque do Flamengo, 1969 (MUJ/CASACOR)
The MUJ exhibition proposes precisely a parallel between plants and human beings, nature and society. In this sense, the projects presented bring together the aesthetic and cultural legacy of Burle Marx and the principles of Judaism, especially linked to the diaspora and the creation of identities defined by constant movement.
In practice, I observed the records of the species and, in parallel, how they appear in the landscape architect's works — including gardens in Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Recife and Caracas (Venezuela). I also watched a video of his expeditions through national biomes, in which he discovered more than thirty plant species. A perfect opportunity to dive deep into Burle Marx's legacy!
Fazenda Vargem Grande, 1979. Burle Marx & Cia. Ltda (MUJ/CASACOR)
Museu Judaico de São Paulo (Milena Garcia/CASACOR)
Beyond the exhibition on Burle Marx, the Jewish Museum of São Paulo offers other attractions not only for followers of the religion, but also for those seeking to learn more about history and theology. It is worth dedicating some extra time during the visit to get to know the largest Jewish collection in Latin America, with more than 500 collections and documentary archives that play a crucial role in the preservation and dissemination of Jewish culture.
On the ground floor, I was able to explore the exhibition "Jewish Life", which presents the various rituals present in Judaism — from sacred texts and values to typical foods, clothing and symbolic objects. After that, I went to the first basement to check out the exhibition "Jews in Brazil: Intertwined Stories". It features a timeline of the 500 years of Jewish presence on Brazilian soil. Both are permanent at the museum.
For those who want to go further, my tip is to visit the People of the Book Library, located on the mezzanine, where more than 20,000 titles related to the theme are available. Finally, the MUJ deli café offers a varied menu of typical delicacies.
When? From April 30 to August 2; Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where? Rua Martinho Prado, 128 – Bela Vista
Tickets: Full price R$ 24 | Half price R$ 12; free admission on Saturdays.
More information:https://museujudaicosp.org.br/evento/burle-marx-plantas-em-movimento/
traduzido por: OPENROUTER
