Welcome to the exhibition “Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism”!

Brazil is by far the largest country in South America and one of the most populous in the world. Its diverse landscape ranges from the Amazon rainforest to the famous beaches of Copacabana.

No less impressive is the country’s cultural diversity, which is a blend of indigenous, African and European influences. The megacities of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasília are metropolises where all the country’s contrasts come together. By looking at how modern art emerged in the first half of the 20^th century, we can gain a better understanding of modern-day Brazil.

At the beginning of the 20^th century, Brazil was a young nation in transition. The first republic was proclaimed in 1889, with Rio de Janeiro as its capital. Economically, the country benefited from its near-monopoly position in the world coffee trade. Slavery was abolished in 1888. Many people who had previously been enslaved or exploited for their labour migrated to the São Paulo region in order to reap the benefits of the economic boom there and build a new, free life for themselves. This sense of new beginnings in a modern Brazil left its mark on art, literature, music, design and architecture.

In 1922, the Semana de Arte Moderna – Modern Art Week – was held at the Municipal Theatre in São Paulo. This was the first time in Brazil that the various arts were presented together as an avant-garde movement in search of a specifically Brazilian modernism. The festival was a reaction to the dominance of academicism, which remained rooted in the conventions of the 19^th century. Some of the artists we present here exhibited their works at the Semana de Arte Moderna, making their mark on Brazilian art history. Others have only been rediscovered in recent years because, as self-taught artists, they were long dismissed as having produced folkloristic or ‘primitive’ art.

Our exhibition presents the work of ten artists whose imagery is imbued with the country’s exciting contrasts. With them, we showcase Brazil’s artistic diversity for the first time and invite you on a voyage of discovery through this extraordinary country.

We hope you will find the tour both exciting and inspiring!