Black Presence Intervention at Casa Triângulo Opening Challenges Art World Racial Exclusion
On March 5, 2016, Casa Triângulo launched its new gallery in São Paulo's Jardins, featuring 'Presença Negra,' an intervention by Moisés Patrício. Dressed in a white lab coat and wearing an Afro-Brazilian bead necklace, Patrício collaborated with Peter de Brito to organize the event on Facebook, aiming to attract Black artists. He characterized the intervention as a celebration to uplift Afro-descendants in spaces that have historically excluded them. Patrício highlighted the lack of diversity in Brazil's commercial art world, noting the distinct poetics of Black artistic expression. He connected the history of Black artistry from Aleijadinho to modern creators and addressed the psychological impacts of exclusion, while acknowledging recent progress in conversations about racism and representation in education and culture.
Key facts
- The 'Presença Negra' intervention occurred on March 5, 2016 at Casa Triângulo's new gallery in Jardins, São Paulo.
- Moisés Patrício and Peter de Brito organized the action to increase Black visibility at art openings.
- Patrício criticized the Brazilian art circuit for exclusively promoting white artistic production.
- He argued Black art possesses a distinct, collective poetics shaped by specific experiences and violence.
- Historical Black Brazilian artists cited include Aleijadinho, Sidney Amaral, Emanuel Araújo, and Lidia Lisboa.
- Patrício linked the systemic exclusion of Black production to identity crises and depression.
- He acknowledged significant social advances in racial discourse and Black access in the last ten years.
- The artist insisted discussions on racism are fundamental within the provocative realm of art.
Entities
Artists
- Moisés Patrício
- Peter de Brito
- Aleijadinho
- Sidney Amaral
- Emanuel Araújo
- Lidia Lisboa
Institutions
- Casa Triângulo
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Jardins