SAO PAULO.- The São Paulo Museum of Modern Art (MAM) has unveiled its 38th edition of the Panorama of Brazilian Art titled "Mil Graus" ("One Thousand Degrees"), which opened on October 5, 2024, at the University of São Paulo's Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC USP). The exhibition, set against the backdrop of ongoing renovations at MAM's original Ibirapuera Park location, navigates the theme of transformative heat—a metaphor for Brazil's intense socio-political climate and a nod to the physical and metaphysical changes shaping the country's landscape.

A New Venue Amidst Old Challenges

Due to the extensive renovations of the marquise at Ibirapuera Park, the biennial show has temporarily relocated to MAC USP. This venue shift has provided an opportunity for both institutions, which share a historical linkage, to further cement their relationship through cultural collaboration. The show, featuring 34 artists from 16 Brazilian states, offers a robust representation of the country's diverse artistic landscape. It includes over 130 works, with 79 new pieces specifically commissioned for this panorama.

Elizabeth Machado, President of MAM, and Cauê Alves, Chief Curator, noted the significance of this partnership, stating, "For years, MAM has established partnerships with cultural institutions along Ibirapuera Park. Hosting the 38th Panorama at MAC not only signifies a historical coming together of two cultural institutions but also a moment of integration and joint effort in favor of art."

Curatorial Vision: "Mil Graus"

Curated by Germano Dushá and Thiago de Paula Souza, with assistant curation by Ariana Nuala, "Mil Graus" explores the notion of a "limit-heat"—a temperature at which everything melts, dissolves, and transforms. The curators have crafted a multidimensional perspective on contemporary Brazilian artistic production, focusing on its energy and intensity. The exhibition is organized around five thematic axes: General Ecology, Original Territories, Tropical Lead, Body-Gear, and Trances and Crossings.

These themes are not isolated segments but rather interconnected threads that provoke reflection and draw potential links between the artworks. "In General Ecology, we focus on ecological notions and practices that are oriented towards total interconnectivity," explained Dushá. "Original Territories narrate experiences of indigenous and quilombola communities, offering alternative visions on Brazil's formation and current circumstances."

The Artworks and Their Messages

Among the notable works, Advânio Lessa presents a new series of sculptures connecting different cultural poles across São Paulo, while Adriano Amaral has created an architectural installation on MAC USP's ground floor. Ana Clara Tito's commissioned installation sprawls across the exhibition floor, resembling a rhizomatic ecology.

In a poignant acknowledgment of artists past, the show also includes posthumous works by Jayme Fygura, whose oeuvre combines painting with metal sculpture, marginal poetry, and rock music, echoing daily oppressions.

Exhibition Design Adaptations

The expographic design by architect Alberto Rheingantz has been carefully adapted for the spaces at MAC USP. The design challenges involved linking non-contiguous spaces, resulting in a mirrored occupation between two wings of the building and the strategic placement of commissioned works under the entrance marquee and specific museum areas.

As José Lira, director of MAC USP, articulates, "It is with great pleasure that we host the 38th Panorama. Institutional partnerships like this have been part of MAC's history since its inception, and our recent efforts have only deepened these connections."

A Broader Cultural Impact

The 38th Panorama of Brazilian Art is more than an art exhibition; it is a profound cultural inquiry into the soul of Brazil, reflecting its vibrant diversity and complex history through the lens of contemporary art. As the exhibition runs until January 26, 2025, it promises to be a significant event in São Paulo's cultural calendar, offering insights into the nation's artistic evolution and the thematic richness that Brazilian artists continue to explore.