National elections are approaching, forcing states and cultural departments to slow down and make decisions regarding the approval of exhibitions and projects, as it's unclear what awaits us after October. Brazil is no exception. Several Latin American countries are experiencing very close electoral contests, and the division between right and left has opened a rift that goes beyond ideological crises. Today, social unrest finds no clear references in past leaderships. We are living through a moment of extreme upheaval, and since the confrontation between Hamas and Israel, the latter's excessive response – which destroyed the Gaza Strip, killing thousands of Palestinians – has exacerbated and spread the conflict throughout the Middle East.
The repercussions of these conflicts inevitably reached the Venice Biennale. This edition is a tribute to Koyo Kouoh, the Cameroonian curator of the 61st Biennale, who, before her death, participated in the debate in which the jury she selected opposed the participation of pavilions whose representatives prided themselves on their fascist and genocidal policies. The debate with the exhibition's management resulted in the resignation of the entire selection committee and the withdrawal of approximately 160 artists from the awards. Professor and critic Fabio Cypriano later visited Venice, where he followed the debate, saw the exhibition, and provided an analysis of important moments from the show presented both at the Arsenale and the Giardini, as well as in the parallel exhibitions.
In Brazil, the 16th Curitiba International Biennial "Limiares," under the curatorship of Adriana Almada and Tereza de Arruda, chose to occupy various spaces in the city, featuring nearly 300 artists and several curators. The theme proposes a reflection on zones of transition, the impact of technology on art, and new ways of thinking and doing. "We are interested in discussing the need to rebuild collective bonds in a global scenario marked by polarization, conflict, and social isolation," says Tereza de Arruda.
São Paulo, on the other hand, gained a new space for exhibitions and gatherings with the opening of the São Paulo branch of Pinakotheke, inaugurated with a groundbreaking exhibition dedicated to "Surrealism." Conceived by Max Perlingeiro, the gallery's founder, and Tadeu Chiarelli, critic and historian, the exhibition brings together more than 100 works by European, Latin American, and American artists. In this edition, in an exclusive interview with... arte!brasileirosChiarelli comments on the unique aspects and differences of the exhibition.
And, to close out the semester, Lara Paiva visited MASP, where she produced an exhaustive report on Latin American art through the exhibitions of Damián Ortega, Santiago Yahuarcani, La Chola Poblete, Claudia Alarcón & Silat, and the CADA collective.
Happy reading and have a good rest during the July and August holidays!
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