Afro-Atlantic Histories Exhibition at MASP and Tomie Ohtake Institute Critiqued for Conventional Approach

The exhibition 'Histórias Afro-Atlânticas' is on view at the Instituto Tomie Ohtake and the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (Masp) until October 21. Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, Ayrson Heráclito, Hélio Menezes, Lilia Moritz Schwarcz, and Tomás Toledo, the show features over 400 works across eight thematic modules. It is described as a necessary but conventional examination of Afro-Atlantic narratives, raising questions about institutional inclusion and museological language. The exhibition includes works from 1641 by Albert Eckout to newly commissioned pieces. A banner by the collective Frente 3 de Fevereiro, asking 'Onde estão os negros?', highlights the underrepresentation of Black individuals in positions of power within art institutions. The 'Resistências e Ativismos' module, curated by Menezes and Schwarcz, is noted as the most vibrant, featuring works by Pierre Verger, Blair Stapp, and the late Sidney Amaral. The show is seen as a continuation of 'Histórias Mestiças,' held at the Instituto Tomie Ohtake four years prior.