32nd São Paulo Biennial Emphasizes Collaborative Art and Indigenous Voices

The 32nd São Paulo Biennial, titled 'Incerteza Viva' (Live Uncertainty), runs from September 10 to December 11, 2016, at the Bienal Pavilion in São Paulo, Brazil. Curated by Jochen Volz, the exhibition focuses on collaborative artistic practices created in close dialogue with communities, indigenous peoples, and cultural groups worldwide. A central project is Vídeo nas Aldeias (VNA), founded by Vincent Carelli in 1986, which trains indigenous filmmakers and has developed a new cinematic grammar. The biennial features works by artists including Bárbara Wagner, Felipe Mujica, and Cecilia Bengolea, who engage with cultural expressions like brega music in Recife and dancehall competitions in Jamaica. The exhibition aims to bring contemporary art closer to the public and address global issues of economy, politics, and social conditions through artistic poetics. The title reflects the recognition that uncertainty is a universal condition, particularly resonant for indigenous communities facing perpetual land disputes. The biennial also includes Study Days in locations like Cuiabá, Santiago, and the Peruvian Amazon, where curators and artists visit local communities. Collaborative processes are emphasized as inherently uncertain, mirroring the unpredictability of life itself.