In October-November 2014 I visited the 31st São Paulo Biennial and some independent art spaces and artist studios in São Paulo. See here a photo review of the trip. 

Cicillo Matarazzo Pavilion, biennale São Paulo 2014

One of the first pieces you run into at the entrance of the biennial, a mural by the Chinese artist Qiu Zhijie that represents a huge map of an imaginary world full of philosophical and religious references. 

Qiu Zhijie, Map, 2014

Voluspa Jarpa’s Learning Histories displays documents related to the CIA’s involvement in the last dictatorship of Brazil and Brazil’s secret service dating from the dictatorship of Getúlio Vargas (1951-1954) and João Goulart’s government (1961-1964). A very intriguing installation, visually as well as conceptually.

Voluspa Jarpa, Learning Histories, 2014

Juan Carlos Romero’s installation Violencia (1973-1977/2011) exposes an archive of violent acts as they were published in the media in the seventies in Argentina.

Juan Carlos Romero, Violencia, 1973-1977/2011

Juan Carlos Romero, Violencia, 1973-1977/2011, detail

A beautiful painting by Wilhelm Sasnal…(there were more but this one impressed me most)

Wilhelm Sasnal, Untitled (Mine), 2009

Arthur Scovino’s House of Caboclo, a three months lasting performance based on caboclo culture from southern Brazil (caboclo refers to someone with mixed, Amerindian and European, blood).

Arthur Scovino, House of Caboclo, 2014

And another part of the installation.

Arthur Scovino’s House of Caboclo

This is a detail of the famous installation piece Video Trans Americas from Chilean artist Juan Downey, made in the seventies. In 1973, right after Pinochet’s coup, Downey travelled from New York to southern South America while video taping his encounters with fourteen different indigenous tribes. When visiting a community he would show the recordings of his previous visits to create awareness of the variety and similarities between the regions. At the same time it was an attempt to connect them, bringing them out of isolation. 

In the travelogue belonging the work the artist wonders if art should be political. “Art and politics do not mix, but look beautiful together, just like oil and water” he concludes.

Juan Downey, Video Trans Americas 1973-1976 (detail)

 A funny and refreshing constellation of works by Nilbar Güreş. 

Nilbar Güreş, Black Series, 2011

Nilbar Güreş, Black Series, 2011

Nilbar Güreş, Black Series, 2011

Fascinating drawings by  Michael Kessus Gedalyovich…

Part of installation by Michael Kessus Gedalyovich, The Placebo Scroll, 2014

Part of installation by Michael Kessus Gedalyovich, The Placebo Scroll, 2014

Part of installation by Michael Kessus Gedalyovich, The Placebo Scroll, 2014

Recent work by Jo Baer

Jo Bear, In the land of the Giants, 2009-2013

While in São Paulo I visited some other interesting exhibitions and art spaces.
Some images of the exhibition Leonilson: Truth, Fiction in Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo.

Overview Leonilson: Truth, Fiction in Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo

José Leonilson (1957-1993) was a Brazilian artist who in his later career was influenced by the Brazilian autodidact artist Artur Bispo do Rosario (1909-1989). Especially in the last few years before his death (he was HIV positive) he dedicated himself almost completely to sewing and embroideries. 

We speak, they do not see, 1991

Untitled, 1989

Leonilson in Pinacoteca

Leonilson in Pinacoteca

Leonilson in Pinacoteca

In Ateliê 397 I visited an audioperformance (in water) by Felipe Julian, Claus Lehmann and Edu Marin. Experimental in a very good way. 

Ateliê 397

Overview of Sé, gallery space in down town São Paulo  www.segaleria.com.br.

Sé

The famous Copan building (Oscar Niemeyer, 1952) where artist- and presentation space PIVÔ is located.

PIVÔ

Inside the building are the artist studios (everyone works in one open space). 

Overview artist studios in PIVÔ

Still in the mysteriously curved interior of the building where an exhibition by Cildo Meireles and Mario Torres García was on show. 

PIVÔ, exhibition view of Que Coisa É? Uma conversa/ A Conversation

Mario Torres García, video still

Mario Torres García, video still

Mario Torres García, video still

During my stay many exhibitions about the legacy of Lina Bo Bardi (1914-1992), architect, curator and museum director were programmed. 

This is how Lina Bo Bardi designed exhibitions…

Rivane Neuenschwander at MAM, Mal-ententidos

Installation of scrabble game made by peeled and dried limes and oranges. Visitors were actually  invited to make words with the letters.  

Rivane Neuenschwander, Scrabble 2001-2014

Rivane Neuenschwander, a piece of the Erotic Cases series, 2014

Rivane Neuenschwander, a piece of the Erotic Cases series, 2014