DIVE INTO BRAZILIAN ART

Paintings on the left: Jade Marra – Painting on the right: Janaina Mello Landini © gallery Amélie du Chalard

This spring, Paris will be overtaken by the Saison France-Brésil and it’s a perfect opportunity for me to invite you to explore the Brazilian contemporary art scene.

My starting point in selecting the exhibitions was my own eye and my rather instinctive approach to art as well as a little help from Artmajeur’s AI assistant Iris. When I asked him: ‘how would you characterize Brazilian art ?’ Iris’ response was spot-on: cultural diversity, social and political commentary, appropriation of Brazilian history and traditions, and concerns with environmental questions. 

Here is ‘our’ Top 10 list of exhibitions over the next couple of months for you to dive into Brazilian art.

Starting with the institutional shows…

The most important Parisian museums and institutions will present exhibitions of Brazilian artists during the saison.

Artist Lucas Arruda has just opened his exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay. As part of the museum’s contemporary program, this is the first time an artist from the Southern Hemisphere is invited to exhibit in the Museum. The audience is captivated by his imaginary tropical landscapes, jungles, stormy oceans all portraited in his meditative paintings. Until July 20th.

5 minutes from Orsay, the Maison de l’Amérique Latine presents Le Brésil illustré : l’héritage postcolonial de Jean-Baptiste Debret (1768-1848) this exhibition brings together contemporary artists reinterpreting Debret’s historical depiction of Brazil. From April 30th to October 5th.

Head over to the Pantheon to discover Rio-based artist Laura Lima‘s installation of her Communal Nests series made with hundreds of straw hats. This is surely to be quite a sight in one of France’s most important historical monuments! From June 7th.

Let’s go Rive droite, now 

Janaina Mello Landini © gallery Amélie du Chalard

First, Anna Maria Maiolino at Musée Picasso, a great dame of Brazilian art, who received the Lion d’Or at the last Venice Biennal, and will show her drawings, sculptures and photographs in dialogue with the works of Pablo Picasso. From June 14th to  September 21st.

And finally, a great opportunity to discover a new generation of 5 emerging contemporary Brazilian painters at the Grand Palais. Each artist explores powerful themes such as identity, the body, popular culture and Brazilian history. Their works reflect the country’s rich social and cultural realities. From June 6th to July 27th.

Gallery gems…

Brazilian talent shines across the city thanks to Parisian galleries.

I’m very excited to see the first international edition of the travelling platform Aberto. This exhibition will take place in Corbusier’s Maison La Roche. Brazilian modernist and contemporary art will be shown in dialogue with Corbusier’s architecture. May 14th to June 8th.

Paris-based Paulista artist Julio Villani will present a new series of drawings and paintings at RX gallery in the Marais. Can’t wait to discover Villani's new works, where he incoporates more color and movement. From May 2nd.

Rodrigo Braga will show an ambitious installation with drawings and photographs related to the terrible fires taking place in Brazilian forests. This exhibition is a continuation of the artist’s research in the complex relationship between humans and nature. From April 24th.

Sans titre Gallery brings together beautiful works by Leonilson, one of the most important artists of his generation and one of my personal favorites. His delicate and powerful embroderies and drawings will be shown alongside works by Sequoia Scavullo. From April 24th to June 7th.

And to wrap up, an exhibition that is particulary close to my heart, as it’s the result of a beautiful collaboration between gallerist Amélie du Chalard, collector France Germani and myself : the Entre-elas show brings together works by six amazing artists : Daniela Busarello, Ana Holck, Maria Laet, Jade Marra, Janaina Mello Landini, and Alice Quaresma in Amélie’s beautiful Parisian gallery. They all work in a unique way, in different media, and explore their own artistic language. May 15th to June 7th 2025.

I hope this selection of Brazilian art will inspire you as much as it did me… Take the time to wander, to feel and open your heart. Who knows? You might just fall in love with Brazilian art, if you haven’t already, right here in Paris.