Top 10 Influential Gallerists in the Brazilian Art Market 2

6 – Mariana Vieira (Kovac & Vieira)

Mariana created Kovac & Vieira in 2023 in São Paulo. The art gallery stands as a platform dedicated to observing and encouraging new artistic talent, embracing diversity and promoting accessibility in art. Its curatorial focus focuses on contemporary art and pop art, demonstrating a commitment to innovation and modern artistic expression. “Women stand out because of their curiosity, in addition to expressing their ideas, vision and action. It also deconstructs itself every day to build new opportunities. This skill ends up building an alternative path of ideas, partnerships and most importantly: community! I was the only art gallery that opened with a curator and a gallerist, my dear friend Tito Bertollucci. I believe that collectivity and a united universe make a woman grow in any field or market.”

7 – Marília Razuk (Galeria Marília Razuk)

Gallerist in São Paulo but born in Belo Horizonte, in 1992 she opened her own gallery on Avenida 9 de Julho, standing out for representing contemporary Brazilian and foreign artists with a focus on artistic innovation. Marília participates in prestigious international fairs and has had two exhibition spaces since 2010, allowing for several annual exhibitions. In its 31 years of activity, it has promoted artists from both the Brazilian scene such as Amilcar de Castro and José Leonilson and international artists such as Douglas Gordon and Julieta Aranda. In 2022 she launched Arte-Circuito Jardim Europa to encourage visits to galleries. “Historically, women have always been the majority in art galleries. This is a national and international reality. I believe that because they have great sensitivity, resilience and are moved by the heart, they are qualified to deal with this sensitive and special universe that is art”.

8 -Nara Roesler (Nara Roesler Gallery)

A prominent figure in the Brazilian art market with a career spanning 40 years, she began her career in Recife, her hometown, where she founded and ran her first gallery. She promoted cultural events in Rio de Janeiro and in 1989 opened Galeria Nara Roesler in São Paulo, today one of the main contemporary art galleries in Brazil. It represents renowned Brazilian and international artists, including those who began their careers in the 1950s, as well as emerging artists whose works dialogue with the currents established by these historical figures. Over the years it expanded its operations, opening spaces in Rio and New York, maintaining its mission of providing a prominent platform for its artists. “I believe that a person who has a family experience as a daughter, mother and wife is in contact with many feelings and psychological aspects of the human being. Starting a professional life in parallel, which is mainly based on interaction with artists, extremely sensitive people, heralds of the future and endowed with enormous creative intelligence, gives you enormous knowledge that makes it possible to succeed in an environment as complex as the world of art. A woman has resilience, sensitivity and determination to build a journey discovering and promoting talents.”

9- Raquel Arnaud

An influential woman on the Brazilian art scene, since the 1970s she has dedicated herself to art exhibitions, starting as a curator at Rede Globo's Arte Global gallery in São Paulo. In 1974 she founded her own gallery, Raquel Arnaud, which has supported innovative artists from the beginning. In 1997 she founded the Institute of Contemporary Art (IAC) in Pacaembu, in São Paulo, dedicated to preserving the memory of important artists in Brazilian art, such as Amilcar de Castro, Sergio Camargo and Willys de Castro, among many other geniuses. Her contribution to contemporary art and the preservation of Brazil's artistic heritage is remarkable and inspires new generations. “In my opinion, yes, our vision and sensitivity permeate artistic and professional decisions that enrich the art gallery market in Brazil. In fact, nowadays, this market is dominated by women. It's a fact!"

10-Regina Boni

Fashion designer and important figure of the São Paulo counterculture, she was known for creating iconic costumes for artists such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and the band Os Mutantes in the 1960s. She owned a clothing store, Dromedário Elegante, and collaborated on the costumes of giants like Roberto Carlos and Chacrinha. Regina founded Galeria São Paulo in 1981, which became influential in the art scene by promoting exhibitions that became memorable. She currently works as an art dealer in the Galeria São Paulo Flutuante project. Her career is notable for its contribution to Brazilian fashion and art.
“Although it is originally a field with few women, I can say that some of them were fundamental in my training. I was lucky to have worked and learned a lot with art dealer Cèrès Franco, when I was still a young girl living in Paris. Soon after, when I arrived in São Paulo, women gallerists were rare, but Luisa Strina and Raquel Arnaud were already working there and showed me possible paths. Having been persecuted during the dictatorship for being a woman while playing a subversive role with a clothing store prepared me for life from an early age.”

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