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The Rise of Brazilian Art at Art Basel Miami Beach

Brazilian artists are reshaping global art at Art Basel Miami Beach by blending Indigenous traditions with installations inspired by Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion.

Por: Rubén Carrillo
The Rise of Brazilian Art at Art Basel Miami Beach / Photo via Art Basel Miami Beach
The Rise of Brazilian Art at Art Basel Miami Beach / Photo via Art Basel Miami Beach

This new generation of creators at Art Basel Miami Beach merges activism and cultural heritage to deliver impactful messages to international audiences.

 

This year’s Venice Biennale showcased what art insiders in Brazil have long recognized: the diversity of artists featured in Adriano Pedrosa’s exhibitions, the curator and director of the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP), is unparalleled. 

 

Pedrosa’s work at MASP revolves around annual themes that drive its programming. In 2018, the museum presented Afro-Atlantic Histories; in 2023, Indigenous Histories; and this year, Histories of Diversity, focusing on LGBTQ+ art. These initiatives have propelled many artists into the global art market. For instance, the Huni Kuin Artists Movement (MAHKU), an Indigenous collective, painted a mural at Venice’s Giardini pavilion and will now exhibit at Art Basel Miami Beach.

Claudia Andujar, Casulo humano (rito mortuário) - from the serie Casa, 1976. Courtesy of the artist and Galeria Vermelho.
Claudia Andujar, Casulo humano (rito mortuário) - from the serie Casa, 1976. Courtesy of the artist and Galeria Vermelho.

Their works combine ancestral knowledge with political statements advocating for land rights.

 

For over five decades, Claudia Andujar has championed Indigenous land rights through her art. Of Hungarian Jewish descent, her experience of the Holocaust inspired her to combat the genocide of Brazil’s Yanomami people, documenting their lives through a lens that transcends traditional documentary photography to explore their cosmology. 

 

While she no longer ventures into the Amazon, her archives, exhibited by the Vermelho gallery, sustain her advocacy through the Comissão Pró-Yanomami. Meanwhile, Candomblé has become a key influence for younger artists.

Ayrson Heráclito, Junto OFA comm Draka, 2024. Courtesy of the artist.
Ayrson Heráclito, Junto OFA comm Draka, 2024. Courtesy of the artist.

Ayrson Heráclito, a Bahian artist, blends sacred and contemporary elements through performances, installations, and photography. At Art Basel Miami Beach, Heráclito collaborates with Nádia Taquary and Tiganá Santana on an immersive installation exploring Candomblé’s cosmological elements, featuring sculptures, watercolors of orishas, and a mural painted with dendê oil, a symbolic ingredient in northeastern Brazilian cuisine.

 

Heráclito, known for his collaborative approach, also contributes to the theoretical framework of sacred art in contemporary spaces. 

 

His essay for Bahia Afrofuturista accompanies an exhibition in São Paulo showcasing Bauer Sá’s photography and Gilberto Filho’s wood sculptures, both deeply rooted in Candomblé. In the Positions section of Art Basel Miami Beach, the Galatea gallery will present José Adário dos Santos’ sacred ironwork. Once dismissed as “folk art,” these sculptures are now highly sought after.

Nádia Taquary, Ocupação Mulherio, 2024. Courtesy of the artist.
Nádia Taquary, Ocupação Mulherio, 2024. Courtesy of the artist.

Galeria Estação, which has supported self-taught artists for two decades, will exhibit works by Aurelino dos Santos and Agnaldo, whose pieces explore Brazilian traditions through intricate paintings and sculptures.

 

Another standout is Randolpho Lamonier, represented by the Verve gallery in the Positions section. Lamonier, known for his provocative textiles and social commentary, addresses issues of class, race, and justice in Brazil.

 

His work blends queer art with Brazilian politics, presented in maximalist installations that challenge contemporary art norms.

 

Finally, Eli Sudbrack, known as AVAF, will showcase a multimedia installation at The Bass Museum of Art with Casa Triângulo. Inspired by Félix González-Torres’ work and Brazil’s vibrant street and beach parties, this immersive piece reflects the inclusive spirit of Brazilian artists who are now shining on global stages.

José Adário dos Santos, Ferramenta de Exu, 2021, Galatea. Courtesy of the artist.
José Adário dos Santos, Ferramenta de Exu, 2021, Galatea. Courtesy of the artist.

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