Exhibition 'O Grito!' Canceled in Brasília After Political Pressure, Curator Decries Censorship

The exhibition 'O Grito!' was canceled on Monday, October 23, at Caixa Cultural Brasília, where it had opened on October 17. Curator Sylvia Werneck denounced the closure as censorship, stating conservative societal pressure led to the veto. The show, which aimed to problematize Brazil's 200 years of Independence, featured works by seven artists and was scheduled to run until December 17. Opposition focused on Marilia Scarabello's collage series 'Coleção Bandeira,' depicting former President Jair Bolsonaro, Senator Damares Alves, former Economy Minister Paulo Guedes, and Chamber of Deputies President Arthur Lira in critical scenarios, including within a trash can adorned with national flag colors. Werneck noted the controversial images were fragments of a 600-piece panel and that Scarabello has faced threats. The project's selection by state-owned Caixa Econômica Federal, involving federal government sponsorship, drew complaints from opposition lawmakers. Criticism intensified after influencer Evandro Araújo posted a video calling the show a waste of public money and accusing Caixa of sponsoring political revenge, prompting federal deputy Bia Kicis to request clarifications from Finance Minister Fernando Haddad. The cancellation recalls the 2017 shutdown of the 'Queermuseu' exhibition at Santander Cultural in Porto Alegre following protests from religious groups and the Movimento Brasil Livre (MBL).