Brazilian Airports Impose Exorbitant Fees on Artworks, Threatening International Exhibitions

Significant Brazilian airports, such as Guarulhos, Viracopos, and Galeão, have introduced new fees for the storage and handling of imported artworks, calculating costs based on commercial value instead of weight. Lawyer Danilo Andrade Maia has labeled this development a "scandal." This adjustment stems from a legal provision concerning "civic-cultural events," resulting in artworks being held up during SP-Arte and impacting institutions like MASP, Pinacoteca de São Paulo, and Instituto Moreira Salles, which now need court orders to retrieve their pieces. For example, the "Histórias Afro-atlânticas" exhibition encountered fees that surpassed its budget. Fábio Frayha from MASP cautions about disrupted planning, while Jochen Volz from Pinacoteca worries it may halt international exhibitions in Brazil. The National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) states it has no authority over the matter, and the Ministry of Culture is against the fees but with minimal impact.