With the same nomadic spirit that has characterized it since its creation in 2012, 7th International Biennial of the Sertão will be inaugurated in Diamantina (MG) on October 1st with performances at the Federal University of Vale do Jequitinhonha and Mucuri, and on the 3rd at the Santa Izabel Theater, with performances and music shows.
The Biennial's nomadic spirit consists of settling in a different state each year, strengthening its position as a space for the circulation of art beyond the major capitals. This year's theme, Poetry in Confluence, was born from the desire to bring together curatorial research that addresses pressing issues such as climate, artificial intelligence, ancestry, and collective identities. To Denilson Santana, creator of the Biennial, historian and curator, this search stems from a habit: “In the years when there is no Biennial, we go to art, philosophy and literature seminars in search of inspiring ideas for the next endeavor,” he explains.
This year's edition features works by 50 artists from various Brazilian states and abroad. The exhibition is co-curated by two women: Laura Benevides, from Bahia, architect and researcher in Latin American art, and Janaina Selva, from Minas Gerais, a curator and researcher in art and architecture. Together, they share the responsibility of building dialogues between artists, spaces, and the community, bringing complementary perspectives that broaden possible interpretations of the Sertão and its presence in the contemporary world.
The contemporary core of the Biennial occupies the imposing Santa Isabel Theater, the oldest in the city, whose architecture and history retain vivid marks of the region. Another central point is the Federal University of Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valley, where seminars, research and workshops take place that expand the event's reach beyond the exhibition halls.
One of the highlights is that this edition showcases works commissioned by other biennials and works selected through an open call. "The works are on display at the Municipal Theater, the historic Santa Izabel Theater, the Federal University of Jequitinhonha Valley, and the Diamond Museum, transforming the city's iconic spaces into living stages for contemporary art."
Maintaining the idea of an expanded event, Denilson comments that the program is not limited to exhibitions, offering art workshops aimed at a variety of audiences, from children and young people in schools to budding artists, with activities ranging from creative writing to visual arts. "In every edition, we keep the conversations alive, bringing together artists, curators, researchers, and residents in discussion groups, focusing primarily on the cultural practices of the sertão, sustainability, and the role of art in social transformation," he states. His goal is to create a space for encounter and reflection, where art can resonate as a collective and transformative practice.
For Denilson, what sets this exhibition apart from other biennials is its educational nature and the partnerships it establishes with universities and museums. "The Biennial maintains a strong network of collaborations with international curators. This year, we're joined by Hermán Pacurucu, curator of the Cuenca Biennial in Ecuador, who is presenting works by six artists. We'll also have the collaboration of Posverso, from Argentina, curated by Silvio de Graça, who is exhibiting works by three artists, contributing to the multidisciplinary nature of this Biennial," he states.
The Sertão Biennial was born in Feira de Santana, Bahia, from a personal concern that transformed into a collective movement. The founder says that when he was invited to be a monitor at the São Paulo Biennial, he realized his own limitations: he taught high school and saw firsthand schools without libraries, with few books, and many deficiencies. It was in this contrast that the idea emerged: to create a biennial in the sertão, open to the world, capable of bringing together artists from different places and, at the same time, investing in education, training new professionals and fostering young talent.
More than just an event, the Bienal do Sertão has become a gesture of resistance and cultural decentralization. "I'm organizing the Bienal for the entire city, not just a specific space," he states. The idea is to activate historical sites, revive memories, and, at the same time, open the way for new contemporary experiences.
Denilson's dream is to create a hub in Bahia, his hometown, not as a permanent headquarters, but as a temporary home. "I want a simple space, capable of welcoming people and meeting their needs while I continue traveling. The Biennial was born nomadic and should remain so," he states.
Within this open and libertarian horizon, yet without completely breaking with the system, the 7th Sertão Biennial reinforces itself as a crossing. It's a gesture of resistance and invention, a platform in motion that doesn't yet know which "port" the next edition will dock at. The unexpected is part of the game; it's precisely the element of surprise that keeps the energy of this experimental biennial alive, always ready to reinvent paths and launch the Sertão as a landmark of integration, knowledge, and law within the map of contemporary times..
Among the confirmed artists exhibiting are Alana Barbo / Ambuá / Camila Kahhykwyú Canela / Carlos Mélo / Catarina Dantas / Cicero Costa / Conceição Myllena & Flaw Mendes / Cristiane Martins / Danilo Espinoza Guerra / Derlon / Edith Derdyk / Emika Takaki / Erika Dantas / Estêvão Parreiras Pereira / Fernanda Adamski / Gabriela Loayza / Helena Sofia Klipp / Hernán Illescas / Gelli Sisters / Ivan Zambrano / Janaina Wagner / Jimson Vilela / Joana Amora / João Pedro Ramos / José Guedes / Juniara Albuquerque / Kyria Oliveira / Luanda / Luciana Borre / Luiz O. (Luizhim) / Maria Zegna / Manoel Veiga / Mariana Guardani / Marianna Pizzatto / Nina Miyamoto / Padmateo / Polina Shklovskaya & Briseis Schreibman / Raquel Rodrigues / Ricardo Vilas Freire / Samira Pavesi / Sofia Ramos / Soledad Sánchez Goldar / Taís Koshino / Victor Hugo Bravo.
