ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Brazilian Art Market Defies Pandemic Predictions with Strong 2020 Performance

market-auction · 2026-04-23

In 2020, Brazil's art market flourished, with numerous galleries experiencing robust sales despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. A survey conducted by ABACT and Apex-Brasil for the Latitude Project indicated that galleries matched or surpassed their sales from 2019 in the first and third quarters, with only the second quarter showing a decline. Contributing factors included more time spent at home, shifts in discretionary spending, and viewing art as a secure investment. The rise of online platforms and virtual fairs attracted a new generation of buyers, while support for young, Black, female, and minority artists benefited smaller galleries. In contrast, global markets saw a 36% decline in gallery sales, according to an Art Basel and UBS survey. Although digital engagement increased, gallerists still prioritize in-person connections and anticipate a hybrid future.

Key facts

  • Brazil's art market performed better than expected in 2020 despite the pandemic.
  • A Latitude Project survey showed galleries matched or exceeded 2019 sales in Q1 and Q3 2020.
  • Increased time at home and reallocated spending boosted art purchases.
  • Art was viewed as a safe investment amid economic instability.
  • New, younger collectors entered the market, aided by online platforms.
  • Conscious buying supported young, Black, female, and minority artists.
  • The Brazilian market outperformed the global average, which saw a 36% sales decline.
  • The pandemic forced rapid digital adoption and experimentation in gallery models.

Entities

Artists

  • Lygia Clark
  • Mark Rothko
  • Jackson Pollock
  • Jorge Guinle
  • Montez Magno
  • Mari Ra
  • Zé di Cabeça
  • Fabio Miguez
  • Adenor Gondim
  • Luciano Feijão
  • Júlio Bittencourt
  • Marlene Barros
  • Claudia Alarcón
  • Deborah Paiva
  • Nuno Ramos
  • Marcos Amaro
  • Ivald Granato
  • Paulo Pedro Leal
  • Thalita Hamaoui
  • Rogério Medeiros
  • Rafael Hayashi
  • Lázaro Roberto
  • Felipe Rezende
  • Andrea Brazil
  • Flavia Renault
  • Belony Ferreira
  • Mestre Didi
  • Anna Atkins
  • Elizabeth B. Brownell
  • Eslanda Cardozo Goode Robeson
  • Annette Messager
  • Angèle Etoundi Essamba
  • Hiromix
  • Claudia Andujar
  • Maureen Bisilliat
  • Gretta Sarfaty
  • Vilma Slomp
  • Claudia Jaguaribe
  • Anna Mariani
  • Stefania Bril
  • Francisco Brennand
  • José Cláudio
  • Darks Miranda
  • Flávia Metzler
  • Ivan Cardoso
  • Yuli Yamagata
  • Hercule Florence
  • Georg Heinrich von Langsdorff
  • Ludwig Riedel
  • Néster Rubtsov
  • Aimé-Adrien Taunay
  • Wilhelmine von Langsdorff
  • Frida Kahlo
  • Amilcar de Castro
  • Frans Krajcberg
  • Leda Catunda
  • Tunga

Institutions

  • Vermelho
  • Nara Roesler
  • Kogan Amaro
  • Bergamin & Gomide
  • Aura
  • Parte
  • Projeto Latitude
  • ABACT
  • Apex-Brasil
  • HOA
  • Projeto Vênus
  • Index
  • Celma Albuquerque
  • Casa Albuquerque
  • Jaqueline Martins
  • Art Basel
  • UBS
  • SP-Arte
  • Fortes D’Aloia e Gabriel
  • Artsoul
  • SP-Foto
  • Levante Nacional Trovoa
  • Plataforma 01.01
  • p.art.ilha
  • Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
  • MoMA San Francisco
  • Everson Museum
  • Frieze
  • TEFAF
  • Untitled
  • Not Cancelled Brazil
  • Latitude Art Fair
  • ArtRio
  • fdag
  • Galatea
  • Museu de Arte do Espírito Santo (MAES)
  • Movimento Grevista Negro
  • Sesc Sorocaba
  • Frestas – Trienal de Artes
  • CAIXA Cultural São Paulo
  • Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Belo Horizonte (CCBB BH)
  • MASP
  • Janaina Torres Galeria
  • FAMA Museu
  • IMS - Instituto Moreira Salles
  • 10x10 Photobooks
  • DAN Galeria
  • Casa de Cultura do Parque
  • Biblioteca Brasiliana Guita e José Mindlin - USP
  • Instituto Hercule Florence
  • Documenta Pantanal
  • Centro Maria Antônia da USP
  • Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)
  • Itaú Cultural
  • Pinacoteca de São Paulo (Pina Luz)
  • Centro de Pesquisa e Formação do Sesc
  • Getty Research Institute
  • Museo Reina Sofía
  • Rijksmuseum
  • New York Public Library
  • Paris Photo
  • El Espacio 23
  • Coleção Jorge M. Pérez
  • Simões de Assis
  • Galeria Estúdio Reverso
  • NONADA SP
  • NND|Azeco
  • Fonte
  • Carmo Johnson Projects
  • arte!brasileiros
  • The Art Newspaper
  • Sotheby's New York
  • Deloitte
  • Credit Suisse
  • Galeria Estação
  • Galeria Millan
  • A Gentil Carioca
  • Galeria Nara Roesler
  • Gomide & Co.
  • Paulo Darzé Galeria
  • Galeria Aura
  • Bailune Biancheri
  • Marli Matsumoto
  • Arte 132
  • Verve Galeria
  • Portas Vilaseca
  • ArtSampa

Locations

  • Brazil
  • São Paulo
  • Brasília
  • Bruxelas
  • Belgium
  • EUA
  • United States
  • Europa
  • Europe
  • Abu Dhabi
  • United Arab Emirates
  • São Francisco
  • USA
  • Siracusa
  • Londres
  • England
  • Japão
  • Japan
  • Miami
  • Salvador
  • Bahia
  • Vitória
  • Espírito Santo
  • Sorocaba
  • Belo Horizonte
  • Minas Gerais
  • La Puntana
  • Argentina
  • Gran Chaco
  • Paraguay
  • Recife
  • Pernambuco
  • Olinda
  • Itu
  • Nova York
  • Tóquio
  • Mumbai
  • India
  • Pequim
  • China
  • Jacarta
  • Indonesia
  • Aveiro
  • Portugal
  • Porto Feliz
  • Mato Grosso
  • Grão-Pará
  • Amazônia
  • Pantanal
  • Santo Antônio da Patrulha
  • Rio Grande do Sul
  • Algarve
  • Los Angeles
  • Madri
  • Spain
  • Amsterdã
  • Netherlands
  • North America
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • New York
  • Mexico

Sources