A Gentle Carioca presents with joy the Open Wings 21 (2026), celebrating the 21st edition of a project that is a fundamental part of the gallery's history and identity. Since 2005, Abre Alas has inaugurated our annual exhibition calendar and reaffirms, with each edition, the desire to open paths, create encounters and closely follow the birth and maturation of new trajectories in contemporary art.
In this edition, the selection committee — formed by Felipe Molitor, Lena Solà Nogué, and Ramon Martins — chose 14 artists whose research reveals the diversity of contexts, languages, and affections that permeate current artistic production:
Ana Luiza Domicent, Ana V. Lopes, David Caicedo Alzate, Felipe Braga, Jean Deffense, Leticia Morgan, Lucas Emanuel, Lucas Speranza, Oriana Pérez, Sheila Kracochansky, Telma Gadelha, Thatiane Mendes, Vicente Baltar and Yara Ligiéro.
Together, these practices form a plural field of listening, experimentation, and exchange, reflecting Abre Alas's vocation as a large, living network.
How it all began
The project was born in 2004 when, at the end of the gallery's first year, Márcio Botner, Laura Lima, and Ernesto Neto realized the richness contained in the approximately 200 portfolios they had received from artists all over Brazil. From there arose the desire to transform this encounter into an annual exhibition, traditionally held close to Carnival, symbolically opening the exhibition year at A Gentil Carioca.
The name Abre Alas refers to the float that starts the samba school parades — an image of passage, celebration, and movement. Initially created to give space to young artists, the project has expanded over the years, also welcoming artists from different parts of the world. Since 2010, guest curators have participated in the selection process, adding perspectives and strengthening the dialogue.
More than an exhibition, Abre Alas is a continuous gesture of care, listening, and celebration. It is a space where encounters happen and where we accompany, with affection and pride, the many paths that open up from here.
Service
Exhibition Opening Act 21
From February 7th to April 18th
Monday to Friday, from 12pm to 18pm, Saturday, from 12pm to 16pm (with prior appointment)
