"Candomblé" Exhibition by André Fernandes

O Instituto Guimarães Rosa (IGR) Asunción – Embassy of Brazil, opens its doors to the previously unseen gallery of the Brazilian photographer André Fernandes, recently awarded by the United Nations (UN) in 2024. Delving into Afro-Brazilian identity, the territories of the diaspora meet in the exhibition 'Candomblé', located in the heart of Paraguay.

Paraguayans, Brazilians, and Afro-Latin cultures intertwine in the Afro-diasporic universe, through the lens of renowned visual artist André Fernandes.

During the guided tour, the public will be able to delve into the customs, rites, culture, drums, and spirituality of the Ilê Axé Alaketu terreiro in Salvador, which originated the fifteen photographs of the award-winning series 'Orixás'. The portraits, dated 2014, return for their first Paraguayan edition, after awarding André Fernandes the International Art Competition for Minority Artists (UN) in Geneva.

“In this essay, photography is a 'bridge' between the artistic gaze and Afro-descendant spirituality. Between what society still fears and what art insists on showing. For me, 'Orixás' is not about a record, but a gesture of resistance and historical reparation. It is in this instant, between the visible and the invisible, that this powerful and important essay is born,” comments the photographer.

Under the watchful eye of Babalorixá Indarê Sá, the photographs carry the tradition and respect for the symbols, clothing, and ancestry of the Afro-Brazilian religion. Through the desire to preserve the memory of 'Candomblé', the exhibition also delves into the customs and mysticism surrounding 'Ounjẹ Òrìṣà – Food of the Orishas'; a new photographic essay with sixteen exclusive works; based on foods produced by Tata ria Nkisi Douglas Santana.

Alongside its international success, the new series interconnects the sacred with the everyday, sparking viewers' curiosity about the foods that revere the Orishas. Just as cowrie shells, tools, and guides establish communication between body and spirit, Fernandes highlights the importance of food, this time, as a ritual and living heritage of African territories and narratives.

According to the exhibition's curator, Mai Katz, the 'Ounjẹ Òrìṣà' series pays homage to one of the religion's fundamental principles: food. Although present in everyday life, Mai emphasizes that many people don't realize that the foods we eat daily originate from Candomblé religious sites. “There is no Candomblé without food; and each meal served in a religious site is a gesture of respect. The ingredients used, the methods of preparation, the utensils, and the rituals involve meanings transmitted orally through generations, family by family. We are talking about a sacred cuisine that sustains the body and nourishes the soul,” she reveals.

On display until March 2026, the exhibition 'Candomblé' is an international landmark of Afro-Brazilian culture, in connection with Paraguay. During the exhibition's stay in the Mercosur partner country, the photographer connects with the Afro-Paraguayan community of Kamba Cuá, proposing an exchange of traditions, customs, and social values.

Investing in the legacy of the Brazil-Africa-Paraguay connection, the exhibition will also feature fifteen more observational drawings of the orishas, ​​this time by children from the Paraguayan lands of Kamba Cuá, representing the Ibejis, in homage to the child orishas.

“It’s really cool to bring a bit of our culture here. Candomblé is much more than a religion. It’s part of our culture. Of the Black people. Of the people of the saints. It’s another path that opens up to take our work. I always say that it’s a documentary work and that it helps to demystify the prejudice that Brazilian society has regarding Candomblé. This opportunity for children is part of this whole. It’s about democratizing culture, instead of demonizing it,” says André Fernandes.

Integrating the 'El Ojo Salvaje' Photography Circuit (November 14th) and the Night of the Museums (November 15th) immediately following, André reveals that expectations surrounding the exhibition are optimistic. Furthermore, the Orixás exhibition already has a confirmed destination: Europe in August 2026, at the invitation of the UN itself.

“Mai and I were talking about where the orishas are leading me. I feel like an instrument, a bridge for people to get to know the orishas, ​​also through my work. The orishas are not beauties of 'photography'. They are beauties of Candomblé; and may the axé overflow. Laroyê!”, she concludes.

The exhibition 'Candomblé' is a project of the Guimarães Rosa Institute Asunción (IGR), sponsored by Itaipu Binacional, Fundação Itaú and Eurofarma.

Service
Exhibition Candomblé
From November 14 to March 15, 2026
Exhibition days and times: by appointment only