Brazilian Artists Confront Modernism's Hidden Costs Through Urban Interventions and Exhibitions

In 2014, Brazilian artists explored the impact of modernist architecture, emphasizing themes of labor and social inequality. At the 2006 São Paulo Bienal, Lara Almarcegui's installation measured construction materials. Héctor Zamora's 2012 performance, 'Inconstância Material,' drew attention to the plight of construction workers. Clara Ianni's 'Black Flag' (2010) lamented abandoned structures, while Bijari's 'Gentrificado' (2007) offered a critique of gentrification. The chaotic materials showcased by Marcelo Cidade and André Komatsu in 2011 furthered this discourse. Lais Myrrha's 'Projeto Gameleira 1971' (2014) honored the victims of a 1971 building collapse in Belo Horizonte, listing 117 names. Myrrha received backlash from Lauro Cavalcanti and Pedro Mendes da Rocha. An exhibition dedicated to Oscar Niemeyer took place at Itaú Cultural from June to July 2014. These artistic expressions challenge the invisibility of labor and the shortcomings of modernism.