The largest exhibition in the southern hemisphere features educational publications and public programming with artists, curators and guests
On September 6th, the 35th São Paulo Biennial, entitled choreographies of the impossible, opened its doors to the general public at the Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park. Curated by Diane Lima, Grada Kilomba, Hélio Menezes e Manuel Borja-Villel, the edition presents around 1,100 works by 121 artists, collectives and historical figures. The exhibition will be open until December 10th and entry is free.
Nontsikelelo Mutiti By letter choreographies of the impossible, the 35th São Paulo Biennial. Image: disclosure.
Bringing together artists from different contexts and regions of the world, the curatorship presents a variety of languages and poetics around the idea of facing impossibilities. These artistic productions, which must be read within their social contexts, represent movements in the face of systematic oppression. In this large group, spirituality, ancestry and social organization are some of the threads that connect the works present in the pavilion, with emphasis on productions by artists related to the diasporas, as well as original peoples. In addition to the main curatorial collective, this edition has assistance from Sylvia Monasterios e Tarcisio Almeidaand curatorial council of Omar Berrada, Sandra Benites, Sol Henaro e Thomas Jean Lax.
View of the 35th Bienal de São Paulo – choreographies of the impossible © Levi Fanan / Fundação Bienal de São Paulo
For the expography, the architectural office They go, formed by Anna Juni, Enk te Winkel and Gustavo Delonero, developed an innovative project. For the first time, the opening of the Biennale pavilion was closed with temporary walls that follow the sinuosity of the internal part of the building. The gap designed by Oscar Niemeyer, which generally allows greater contamination between the works on display, was closed to give life to the curator’s proposal for a new public movement within the exhibition, giving a physical contour to the curator’s conceptual proposal. In this case, the public can go directly to the third floor after passing through the first, finishing the journey on the second floor using the building’s external ramps.
View of the 35th Bienal de São Paulo – choreographies of the impossible © Levi Fanan / Fundação Bienal de São Paulo
Publications and public programming
The intellectual production elaborated from the choreographies of the impossible It is public, which includes educational publications and catalog available on the website, as well as a special program open to visitors. The entire visual identity of this edition of the Biennale was developed by Nontsikelelo MutitiZimbabwean-born visual artist and educator, currently director of graduate studies in graphic design at the Yale School of Art (New Haven, CT, USA).
Nominated by movements, the educational publications are divided into three parts, the first two of which provide reflection and training for the Biennale’s mediation teams and the public itself. “First movement – here, in a choreography of returns, dancing is inscribing time” and “Second movement – my way of thinking is collective thinking / before it was in me it was in it” are available for download.
Scheduled for release next year, the last volume will be the result of the mediation processes of these teams throughout the exhibition.
“First movement – here, in a choreography of returns, dancing is inscribing time.” Image: Reproduction.
The special program includes performances, activations of works, tables with guests and meetings with artists and curators. A Lesbian saunainstallation developed by Malu Avelar com Ana Paula Mathias, Anna Turra, Barbara Esmenia e Marta Supernova, will receive a series of activations and conversations with guests from the first week onwards. Avelar’s installation was presented for the first time in 2019 at the Valongo International Festival, in Santos (SP).
The Rio duo Antonio Gonzaga Amador e Jandir Jr. brings to the Biennale a series of performances developed within the project Amador and Jr. Patrimonial Security Ltda. Throughout the first week, the duo will perform different actions that strain the relationship between institutional, public space and professionals hired to guarantee the safeguarding of the works. Aline Motta, Ana Pi, Benvenuto Chavajay, Guadalupe Maravilla, Luiz de Abreu, Rubiane Maia e Will Rawls they also perform at this first stage.
In yet another example of dialogue with social movements, the curators invited Kitchen Occupation 9th of July – MTSC, which is present in spaces in the pavilion such as the café, restaurant and external stalls. In addition to consuming its dishes and products, visitors can learn more about the history of the movement. On September 23rd at 3pm the table will take place “Kitchen Occupation July 9 – MSTC – housing = belonging (health + education + culture) / accessibility”, with the presence of Carmen Silva, Preta Ferreira, Tomas Alvim, Alexandre Hodapp and mediation by Dénis Pacheco.
View of the 35th Bienal de São Paulo – choreographies of the impossible © Levi Fanan / Fundação Bienal de São Paulo
Mediation and accessibility
The mediation team for this edition will carry out visits to the exhibition with spontaneous audiences at fixed times (Tuesday to Sunday at 10:30 am and 5:30 pm – with extra time on Thursday at 7 pm) and audiences scheduled using a form. Visits in English, Spanish and Libras will also be offered at specific times by appointment.
An audio guide was recorded with the voices Dandara Queiroz, Isa Silva, Luanda Vieira, Renan Quinalha and Stephanie Ribeiro, covering 20 works present in the space. The content is also available in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). Other accessible resources available are texts in Braille and enlarged font and tactile models.