Minas Gerais artists with works at the SP Biennale

Minas Gerais artists with works at the SP Biennale are part of the exhibition at Inhotim

At the same time as they are on display at the 2nd most traditional art biennial in the world, three artists from Minas Gerais are part of the exhibition at the largest open-air museum in Latin America

Two new temporary exhibitions were recently opened at the Inhotim Institute, one of the most important contemporary art museums in the world, located in Brumadinho, in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (RMBH). The exhibitions are “Making the modern, building the contemporary”, dedicated to the Bahian artist Rubem Valentim and other names in the arts that dialogue, in some way, with his legacy, and “Direito à forma”, which brings together more than 30 black artists of different generations and techniques. Both are part of the Abdias Nascimento Program and the Black Art Museum, started in 2021.

The exhibition by Rubem Valentim, considered a master of concretism in Brazil, who also incorporated symbols and emblems of Afro-Brazilian religions, such as Umbanda and Candomblé, into his production, features around 80 works by the artist, including paintings, sculptures, reliefs and murals. Furthermore, next to the works of the honored artist, works by other prominent names in the visual arts are incorporated. The exhibition “Right to form” occupies Galeria Fonte and presents works by black artists who explore issues related to identity, memory, ancestry and resistance. Among the names selected are Sônia Gomes, Rubiane Maia and Luana Vitra, three artists from Minas Gerais who currently also have works on display at the 35th São Paulo International Art Biennial, the second most traditional art biennial in the world.

Sônia Gomes, born in 1948 in Caetanópolis, RMBH, is known for her textile sculptures that incorporate elements of Afro-Brazilian culture and challenge traditional sculpture conventions. She began exhibiting her work at the age of 46 – before that, she worked as a teacher and lawyer. Rubiane Maia, who combines performance, video, installation and writing in her artistic practice, was born in Caratinga, in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais, in 1979, and lives and works between Vitória, capital of Espírito Santo, and Folkestone, in the United Kingdom. She also works with drawing, collage and painting, exploring issues related to the body, memory, identity and resistance, in addition to being interested in phenomena and organic materials.

Finally, Luana Vitra, who completes this list, is a visual artist, dancer and performer whose main focus of interest is the mineral kingdom and carries out a process of subjectivation of herself based on the characteristics of some minerals. This year, she has been on a spiral of institutional recognition achievements: Luana won the Pipa Prize, one of the most important in Brazilian contemporary art, was invited to participate in the 35th São Paulo Biennial, and is now exhibiting her work, for the first time, at the Inhotim.

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