Top 10 Influential Gallerists in the Brazilian Art Market 1

In the vibrant and multifaceted world of the art market there are voices that transcend barriers, defying expectations and shaping the cultural landscape with unique vision and curation. This week's Top 10 pays tribute to the talented gallerists who lead trends in the Brazilian art market. They perform with excellence, contributing significantly to amplifying cultural relevance.

As the art universe continues to evolve in Brazil, taking on ever greater international proportions, these talented gallerists stand out in a universe of creativity and leadership. This week we honor the galvanizers of art, who pioneer these complex paths and are fundamental to the diversification of the art world, challenging established norms and offering enthusiastic support to rising talents.

1 – Ana Lucia Serra and Renata Castro e Silva (Carbono Galeria)

This duo has several points in common. Both are advertisers and throughout their careers they have won several awards in their respective areas. Ana Lucia has worked for renowned agencies, such as Ogilvy, EuroRSCG and DM9DDB, and in 1995 and 2001 she received the Caboré Award for Best Service and Planning Professional. Renata had her own agency in Recife and won the Columnist Award for Agency of the Year N/NE, in addition to the TOP National Marketing Award. In 2013 they decided to leave the advertising market and came together to found Carbono Galeria, in Jardim Paulistano, in São Paulo, which is dedicated exclusively to contemporary art. Ana Serra says that art moves her and touches the soul, regardless of whether she is a collector or gallerist, and believes that “sensitivity and life experience are crucial in the art market, without distinction of gender”. Renata associates art with emotion and believes that “despite being a market, the value lies in the feeling that the works evoke”.

2- Eliana Finkelstein (Red Gallery)

Born in São Paulo and graduated in Public Relations, she began her career at the Futura agency and Rafic Farah's creative studio. In 2000 she played the role of producer at the Bienal 50 Anos and acted as curator at the 3rd Fernando Furlanetto Photography Week, in São João da Boa Vista (SP). In 2002, alongside Eduardo Brandão, she founded Galeria Vermelho, which stood out in the market for launching new talents. Celebrating 21 years in 2023, the São Paulo-based Vermelho currently represents Latin American artists from different generations, including Claudia Andujar, Carmela Gross, Rosângela Rennó, Iván Argote, Ximena Garrido-Lecca and André Vargas.”Women traditionally play a strong role in the market of Brazilian art, leading both young galleries and more established institutions. Although there are no specific characteristics associated with the gender, many women seem to bring a freer and more flexible approach to dealing with art, artists and others involved in the medium. This freedom translates into a greater ability to adapt to different situations.”

3- Igi Ayedun (HOA Gallery)

Before becoming the first black gallerist in Brazil, Igi Ayedun worked in several areas of communication. At the age of 14, after participating in a young apprentices competition, she started working at the teen magazine “Capricho”, from Editora Abril, where she stayed for nine years. She has worked in other fields such as image building, fashion and journalism, and launched an international career by working in France and England. Born in Brás and, immersed in the peripheral culture of samba schools and Yoruba Africanness, Igi became known for being the first black Brazilian fashion editor and stylist to sign an international fashion show. In 2020 she opened the HOA gallery, in Barra Funda, which was the first in the country to be built by an entirely black team.

4 – Luciana Caravello (Galeria Luciana Caravello)

A Carioca native with more than 30 years of experience in the art market, Luciana began her career with Galeria Arte em Dobro and then founded Galeria Luciana Caravello, both in Rio de Janeiro. In 2020, during the pandemic, she moved to São Paulo and became interested in the platforms and virtual environments that involve the art market. Based on this concept, she created a new business model: a more compact and agile gallery focused entirely on personalized online service. Now, about to open her new space in Vila Madalena, in São Paulo, she continues with her proposal to boost the art market, focusing on expanding and improving her project. “Contrary to the underrepresentation of female artists in museums, around 20%, art galleries in Brazil have a strong female presence in leadership, with examples such as Luisa Strina and Raquel Arnaud working for more than 50 years. These women soften the divide between art and commerce in their galleries, adopting a more humanized approach. They emphasize active listening, patience, attention to detail and invest time in technical and artistic development, prioritizing the process over the result. This results in deeper relationships with artists and strengthens the art market as a whole.”

5- Luisa Strina (Galeria Luisa Strina)

She is a renowned gallerist and art collector. In 1974 she founded Galeria Luisa Strina in São Paulo, which played a fundamental role in promoting Brazilian conceptual artists, such as Antonio Dias, Cildo Meireles, Tunga and Waltercio Caldas, among many others. In 1992, Galeria Luisa Strina became the first in Latin America to participate in the Art Basel fair. Over the years, the professional has expanded her focus to include emerging Brazilian and Latin American artists and women artists, such as Laura Lima, Leonor Antunes and Renata Lucas. In the last decade, he further consolidated his trajectory by representing artists such as Alfredo Jaar and Anna Maria Maiolino. She has also achieved international recognition, being included in “ArtReview” magazine’s annual list as one of the most influential people in the field of international art. In 2017 she occupied 49th place in the ranking, surpassing Takashi Murakami, John Baldessari, Yayoi Kusama and Brazilian businessman Bernardo Paz, founder of the Inhotim Institute. Luisa emphasizes: “Women are more practical, friendly and seductive”.