Daniel Melim on the City as Studio, Archive and Collective Space
Brazilian artist Daniel Melim discusses his exhibition 'Urban Reflections' at the São Bernardo do Campo Art Gallery, on view until 28 March 2026. Emerging from graffiti and stencil cultures of ABC Paulista, Melim treats the city as an active collaborator. The exhibition transforms the gallery into an expanded studio where process, site, and authorship converge. It includes a large-format painting and a collaborative mural inviting visitor participation. Melim reflects on layered urban memory, the politics of visibility, and collective creation. The exhibition also features an educational program connecting the institution with territories like Jardim Limpão through initiatives such as Projeto Limpão. Melim emphasizes that the city is a living archive, and his work engages with layering, repetition, and displacement of images. The show brings together pivotal and previously unseen works, creating a cartography of his artistic journey. The artist's formation in ABC Paulista—shaped by industry and political movements—continues to influence his engagement with institutional space and urban representation.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Urban Reflections' is on view at São Bernardo do Campo Art Gallery until 28 March 2026.
- The gallery is located at Kara Street, 105, Jardim do Mar, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo.
- Daniel Melim emerged from graffiti and stencil cultures of ABC Paulista.
- The exhibition includes a large-format painting and a collaborative mural.
- Educational program involves initiatives such as Projeto Limpão in Jardim Limpão.
- Melim describes the city as a living archive and active collaborator.
- The show features both pivotal and previously unseen works.
- Melim's practice is rooted in the industrial and political history of ABC Paulista.
Entities
Artists
- Daniel Melim
- Brendon Bell-Roberts
Institutions
- São Bernardo do Campo Art Gallery
- Projeto Limpão
- ARTAFRICA Magazine
Locations
- São Bernardo do Campo
- Brazil
- ABC Paulista
- Jardim Limpão
- Kara Street, 105, Jardim do Mar
- São Paulo