At a time when Indigenous art is increasingly present in Brazilian cultural institutions, the third edition of the Indigenous Ethnomedia Exhibition proposes a step beyond mere representation, transforming the conventional "white cube" of an art gallery into a space for coexistence and cultural alliance.
The exhibition takes place at the Carmo Johnson gallery in São Paulo and adopts a fair-festival format. The opening will be on May 30th, starting at 14 pm, with a discussion moderated by Naine Terena, the event's creator, and Gustavo Caboco, curator of this edition, with the artists Ará Guarani, Liberio Boe, and Isaac Amajunepá.
With the subtitle Indigenous Prints FestivalThe exhibition expands the concept of "printing" beyond engraving or paper-based processes. To this end, it encompasses diverse languages, media, and modes of artistic production, such as literature, textile arts, and installation, which bear the marks of the territories and experiences of indigenous peoples.
Caboco exemplifies this concept with the panel Jegua marangatu – sacred graphics, presented by Edson Benites (Gerpa Jr.) and Miguela Moura, both from Mato Grosso do Sul. “They brought images of graphic art, that which is imprinted on the body: specifically three graphic designs, so there is a text being told,” states the curator. “In this case, it is an impression that is written, usually on the skin, but which has been transferred to fabric.”
The project invites the public to reflect not only on the works presented, but also on the forms of circulation, coexistence, and knowledge construction that they carry. “The artists bring their impressions of their home territories. [The curatorial approach] considers both the artist's point of view and that of the public, who have formed impressions of what the arts of indigenous peoples are, and makes it possible to understand our multiplicity and diversity,” Caboco points out.
One of the central aspects of this edition is the exhibition design, developed in partnership with Liberio Uiagumeareu, of the Boe Bororo people. The gallery was redesigned to reproduce the logic of a Boe village through its physical organization and conceptual references, and interpreted through the lens of indigenous sociability.
“It’s another way of seeing the same environment from different perspectives,” says Caboco. “The exhibition design was guided by the concepts of 'Pa Muga', a space for coexistence between indigenous and non-indigenous people, and 'Ce Muga', the indigenous space. The two are superimposed, in alliance.”
This approach is reflected in the visitor experience: the exhibition organizes its route to encourage encounter, debate, and interaction. Literature, textiles, and visual works dialogue with each other to create an environment closer to a collective experience than to silent and individualized contemplation.
As soon as visitors enter the exhibition space, they encounter the work "Pajé Cara Branca" (White-Faced Shaman), by Isaías Miliano, from the Macuxi and Patamona ethnic groups. The artist presents the figure of his grandfather, who was a healer, with a white face due to the Tabatinga clay—highlighting from the outset the weight that the past holds for many of these artists, who seek themes and elements in their ancestry to develop an original and contemporary art.
Caboco also highlights the collection of paintings and installation objects exhibited by the REMBYAPÓ Collective from Espírito Santo, formed by Ara Guarani, Sônia Guarani, and Claudiomiro Guarani, which reference the culture and way of life of their people. The curator points out that, among the chosen works, there is a tendency towards pieces that address or engage with territorial issues. The participating artists belong to peoples such as the Guarani Ñandeva, Boe, Patamona, Manoki, Myky, Wapixana, and Terena.
Another element that distinguishes the exhibition is its hybrid structure, combining a fair and a festival. In addition to the exhibited works, the public will find books by Indigenous authors, posters, publications, and other printed materials available for circulation and purchase. This choice engages with traditional practices of exchange and encounter present in many Indigenous communities and brings the project closer to the format of art fairs and independent publications.
The program also includes discussion panels, meetings, and educational activities focused on discussing contemporary Indigenous arts. According to Caboco, the goal is to broaden the public's critical repertoire and contribute to strengthening reflections on this artistic production beyond stereotypes.
The curator identifies an important shift in the art circuit compared to recent years—while there was a period marked by the sudden discovery and visibility of these productions, today the presence of Indigenous artists, researchers, and curators is more consistent, with greater prominence in the processes of creating exhibitions, and not just presence in collections—which produces significant changes in the way these works are presented and interpreted. “Perhaps we are no longer in a moment of spectacularization, but of deepening,” he reflects.
“The issue is not about 'giving voice' to indigenous artists, but about recognizing the existence of multiple forms of knowledge production, aesthetics, and thought that have been operating for a long time, but which are often made invisible,” concludes the curator.
The Third Ethnomedia Exhibition — a project by Oráculo Comunicação, Educação e Cultura, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Petrobras through the Rouanet Law — remains on display at the Carmo Johnson gallery until June 20th. Afterwards, it will tour Salvador from July 9th to August 2nd and conclude its exhibition period in Brasília from August 20th to September 6th.
