Artists Respond to Bolsonaro with Political Interventions During Pandemic Isolation

exhibition · 2026-04-23

Amid the isolation caused by COVID-19, Brazilian artists produced works laden with political commentary targeting President Jair Bolsonaro. On May 21, Julio Villani displayed six flags adorned with anti-Bolsonaro messages at the Brazilian embassy in Paris, drawing significant media interest for his piece "Pano Preto na Janela." In São Paulo, Ana Teixeira projected texts of resistance from her window, despite facing intimidation from a neighbor. Maurício Silva creatively painted on metro tickets and released "Poesia Pandemia." The collective initiative "Cólera Alegria" generated political posters and was showcased in the "Against, Again" exhibition at John Jay College. Upcoming exhibitions in Brazil include "Barracas e fachadas do nordeste" (Jan 30-May 30) and "Greve Negra Já!" (Feb 24-Apr 26), among others.

Key facts

Julio Villani installed anti-Bolsonaro flags on the Brazilian embassy in Paris on May 21.
Ana Teixeira projects resistance texts from her São Paulo window daily, facing neighbor threats.
Maurício Silva created art on metro tickets and a book during isolation near Paris.
"Cólera Alegria" is a collaborative political action without central command.
The exhibition "Against, Again: Art Under Attack in Brazil" in New York is interrupted due to COVID-19.
Multiple Brazilian exhibitions are scheduled from January to November 2026.
Villani's works were covered by French press and used in protests internationally.
Teixeira collaborates with artists in Barcelona for cross-city projections.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

Casa do Povo
Galeria Galatea Salvador
Nara Roesler
Museu de Arte do Espírito Santo (MAES)
Movimento Grevista Negro
Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Sesc Sorocaba
Capela João de Camargo
Clube 28 de Setembro
CAIXA Cultural São Paulo
Phi Projetos
Cinnamon
CAIXA
Governo do Brasil
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Belo Horizonte (CCBB BH)
Ateliê Marlene Barros
Ponto de Cultura Coletivo ZBM
Universidade de Aveiro
MASP
El Espacio 23
Coleção Jorge M. Pérez
Janaina Torres Galeria
FAMA Museu
IMS - Instituto Moreira Salles
10×10 Photobooks
Biblioteca de Fotografia
Getty Research Institute
Museo Reina Sofía
Rijksmuseum
New York Public Library
Livraria da Travessa
Simões de Assis
Galeria Estúdio Reverso
NONADA SP
NND|Azeco
DAN Galeria
Casa de Cultura do Parque
Instituto de Cultura Contemporânea (ICCo)
Lei Rouanet
Ministério da Cultura
banco BV
Laranjinha
Banco Itaú
Biblioteca Brasiliana Guita e José Mindlin - USP
Instituto Hercule Florence
Documenta Pantanal
Instituto Moreira Salles (IMS)
Centro Maria Antônia da USP
Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)
Fonte
Carmo Johnson Projects
Itaú Cultural
Ilê Asipá
Pina Luz
Centro de Pesquisa e Formação do Sesc
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Quotidien des Arts
Le Figaro
Serviço de Repressão à Mendicância

Locations

Paris
France
São Paulo
Brazil
Vila Madalena
Ottawa
Canada
Lisbon
Portugal
Coimbra
Barcelona
Spain
Meudon
Salvador
Bahia
Recife
Pernambuco
Olinda
Vitória
Espírito Santo
Sorocaba
Nova York
United States
Tóquio
Japan
Mumbai
India
Pequim
China
Jacarta
Indonesia
Belo Horizonte
Minas Gerais
La Puntana
Argentina
Gran Chaco
Paraguay
Miami
EUA
Itu
SP
Amsterdã
Netherlands
Madri
Los Angeles
Alameda Lorena
Jardim Paulista
Vila Nova Conceição
Alto de Pinheiros
Boaçava
Avenida Paulista
Bela Vista
Rio de Janeiro
Porto Feliz
Mato Grosso
Grão-Pará
Amazônia
Pantanal
Santo Antônio da Patrulha
RS
Ilha de Itaparica
Recôncavo Baiano
Algarve
Campo Grande
Ipojuca
Fortaleza
Cidade Universitária
Bom Retiro
Funcionários
Centro
Jardim Faculdade
Praça da Sé
Praça da Liberdade
Praça da Bandeira
Rua Chile
Rua Padre Bartolomeu Tadei
Avenida Jerônimo Monteiro
Rua Barão de Piratininga
Rua Domingos Fernandes
Rua Anunze
Rua Mourato Coelho
Rua da Biblioteca
Avenida Europa
Rua Dr. Plínio Barreto
Rua Estados Unidos
Rua Vitorino Carmilo
Barra Funda
Avenida Prof. Fonseca Rodrigues

Sources

ARTE!Brasileiros — 2020-07-10