Brazilian land art installation Diva ignites controversy over feminist symbolism and labor representation.

In Brazil's Pernambuco state, a land art piece measuring 33 meters has ignited a cultural clash centered around political, feminist, and racial themes. Unveiled last week at the Usina de Arte botanical gardens, Juliana Notari's installation, titled Diva (2020), features a vulva carved from a former sugar cane field and coated in reddish resin. Supporters of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, including advisor Olavo de Carvalho, condemned the sculpture on social media due to its public funding. Bolsonaro has criticized arts funding, alleging that artists profit from taxpayer money. Additionally, left-wing critics have raised concerns about images showing predominantly black male workers involved in the installation, with some labeling the work as transphobic. Notari noted that the photographs highlight broader societal issues.