Paula Siebra Maps Ceará's Weather Calendar in 'Pequeno mapa do tempo' at Mendes Wood DM São Paulo
Paula Siebra's exhibition titled 'Pequeno mapa do tempo' is being showcased at Mendes Wood DM's Casa Iramaia in São Paulo until October 24, 2026. This exhibition is a result of her three-month residency in Kyoto, Japan, where she delved into haiku, depicted cicadas, and released a book. Siebra investigates the idea of kigo, connecting poetry with the seasons, and develops her own saijiki that reflects the elemental occurrences in Ceará. Her intricate artworks feature a snail merging with greenery, ribbon dancers under a Pau de fita, and a raft affected by the east wind. The exhibition underscores the necessity for a fresh language to comprehend her coastal homeland. Installation views can be found on Mendes Wood DM's website.
Key facts
- Paula Siebra's 'Pequeno mapa do tempo' is on view at Mendes Wood DM's Casa Iramaia in São Paulo until October 24, 2026
- Siebra spent three months in Kyoto, Japan, last year, studying haiku with monks and painting cicadas
- The exhibition draws on the Japanese concept of kigo, a seasonal word that anchors a poem to a specific season
- Saijiki are compilations of kigo terms, described as emotional encyclopedias of nature
- The show maps Ceará, Brazil, through first rains, East wind, and drought rather than four seasons
- Ceará is a Brazilian coastal state known for its coast, tropical fruits, and ancient highlands
- Works on view include a snail dissolving into foliage, ribbon dancers beneath a Pau de fita, and a raft caught in the east wind
- The exhibition is documented with installation views on Mendes Wood DM's website
Entities
Artists
- Paula Siebra
Institutions
- Mendes Wood DM
- Casa Iramaia
- Contemporary Art Issue
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Kyoto
- Japan
- Ceará