CADA's 'Democracia Radical' at MASP: An Interview with Curator André Mesquita
From April 7 to August 2, 2026, the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) will host 'Colectivo Acciones de Arte: Democracia Radical', an exhibition dedicated to the Chilean art group CADA. Curated by André Mesquita, the show includes nearly 200 artifacts sourced from the Archivo CADA at the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos in Chile, showcasing CADA's activities between 1979 and 1985, during the dictatorship in Chile. This event is part of MASP's 'Historias Latinoamericanas' initiative. Mesquita emphasizes the importance of preserving ephemeral art and highlights notable works such as 'NO+' (1983) and '¡Ay Sudamérica!' (1981). The exhibition was made possible by Red Conceptualismos del Sur, which organized the archive and released 'Archivo CADA. Astucia práctica y potencias de lo común' (Ocho Libros, 2019).
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Colectivo Acciones de Arte: Democracia Radical' at MASP, São Paulo, from April 7 to August 2, 2026.
- Curated by André Mesquita, featuring materials from the Archivo CADA.
- CADA (Colectivo Acciones de Arte) performed eight actions between 1979 and 1985 in Chile.
- Members of CADA: Lotty Rosenfeld, Diamela Eltit, Raúl Zurita, Juan Castillo, and Fernando Balcells.
- The Archivo CADA is housed at the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos in Chile.
- The exhibition is part of MASP's 'Historias Latinoamericanas' program.
- Mesquita cites 'NO+' (1983) as an example of radical democracy, later transformed by Mujeres por la Vida into 'NO+ porque SOMOS+'.
- The book 'Archivo CADA. Astucia práctica y potencias de lo común' was published in 2019 by Ocho Libros, edited by Fernanda Carvajal, Jaime Vindel, and Paulina E. Varas from RedCSur.
- Mesquita previously curated a retrospective of the collective Gran Fury in 2024.
- The exhibition includes works like '¡Ay Sudamérica!' (1981) and documents from the Archivo CADA.
Entities
Artists
- André Mesquita
- Lotty Rosenfeld
- Diamela Eltit
- Raúl Zurita
- Juan Castillo
- Fernando Balcells
- Paulina E. Varas
- Fernanda Carvajal
- Jaime Vindel
- Guillermina Mongan
- Michel de Certeau
- Víctor Hugo Codocedo
Institutions
- Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)
- Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos
- Red Conceptualismos del Sur (RedCSur)
- Ocho Libros
- Gran Fury
- Mujeres por la Vida
- Artishock Revista
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Chile
- Santiago