Charles Esche on Curating the 31st São Paulo Bienal with Focus on Contemporary Brazil
The 31st São Paulo Bienal, taking place from September 6 to December 7, 2014, is directed by Charles Esche, the head of the Van Abbemuseum. This marks only the second occasion that a non-Latin American team has curated the event. Although Esche has limited familiarity with Brazilian art, he prioritizes contemporary developments in Brazil over its historical modernism. The curatorial team has involved artists from outside São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, focusing on themes such as urban rights, identity, and immigration narratives. Non-Brazilian artists were selected based on their thematic connections. While acknowledging the biennial's spectacle during Brazil's World Cup and the upcoming 2016 Olympics, Esche aims to enhance the exhibition experience rather than alter its format.
Key facts
- The 31st São Paulo Bienal runs from September 6 to December 7, 2014.
- Charles Esche leads the curatorial team, which is only the second from outside Latin America to curate the São Paulo Bienal.
- Esche is director of the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven and previously co-curated the Istanbul and Gwangju biennials.
- The curatorial approach focuses on contemporary Brazil rather than revisiting modernist history.
- Open meetings were held across Brazil to engage artists outside major commercial centers.
- Non-Brazilian artists like Yochai Avrahami were included for thematic relevance.
- Collaborations include Decolonising Architecture working with Grupo Contrafilé on a quilombo project in Pernambuco.
- The biennial context is shaped by Brazil's sociopolitical events including the 2014 World Cup and elections.
Entities
Artists
- Charles Esche
- Hélio Oiticica
- Lygia Clark
- Yochai Avrahami
- Alessandro Petti
- Sandi Hilal
Institutions
- Van Abbemuseum
- São Paulo Bienal
- Bienal Foundation
- ArtReview
- ArtReview Asia
- Decolonising Architecture
- Grupo Contrafilé
Locations
- Eindhoven
- Netherlands
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Istanbul
- Turkey
- Gwangju
- South Korea
- Rio de Janeiro
- Pernambuco
- Israel
- Palestinian camps