Brazilian artists protest censorship with open letter amid attacks on exhibitions

On Thursday, protesters gathered outside the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) to voice their opposition to a ban preventing individuals under 18 from attending the exhibition Histórias da Sexualidade, which was opening that day. The demonstration saw participation from artist Ai Weiwei, while U2's drummer Larry Mullen Jr. sported a t-shirt that criticized censorship during a concert. An open letter, signed by artists such as Renata Lucas and Miguel Chaia, denounced the current wave of censorship, pointing fingers at right-wing militants, politicians like São Paulo's mayor João Doria, and other officials as threats to artistic liberty. The letter urged the strengthening of democratic forces to uphold civil rights and freedom of expression, referencing the closure of the Queermuseum and the removal of Alessandra Cunha's artwork.