Indigenous Collective MAHKU Presents Visionary Art at MASP, Bridging Visible and Invisible Worlds
The collective MAHKU showcases 'MAHKU: Mirações' at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) through June 2023. Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, Guilherme Giufrida, and Ibã Huni Kuin, this exhibition includes vibrant paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, and a mural that embody traditional chants and 'mirações' from Huni Kuin ayahuasca rituals. According to Ibã Huni Kuin, these artworks express the 'spirit of the world' via 'enchantment songs.' The exhibition reimagines MASP's red ramp as a connection between Western and indigenous worldviews. Giufrida highlights the evolving essence of indigenous art and the ethnographic texts accompanying the display. 'MAHKU: Mirações' forms part of MASP's 'Indigenous Histories' initiative, reflecting Brazil's political landscape and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples.
Key facts
- The exhibition 'MAHKU: Mirações' is on view at MASP until June 2023.
- The show is curated by Adriano Pedrosa, Guilherme Giufrida, and Ibã Huni Kuin.
- Works translate traditional Huni Kuin chants and ayahuasca-induced 'mirações' into visual art.
- The collective MAHKU was informally founded in 2009 and formally consolidated in 2013.
- MASP's red ramp is transformed into a symbolic bridge referencing a Huni Kuin creation myth.
- The exhibition is part of MASP's annual program cycle 'Histórias indígenas.'
- Curator Guilherme Giufrida emphasizes the show presents the collective's artistic transformation, not a static tradition.
- Wall texts provide ethnographic context to guide visitors into Huni Kuin cosmology.
Entities
Artists
- MAHKU (Movimento dos Artistas Huni Kuin)
- Ibã Huni Kuin
- Bane
- Adriano Pedrosa
- Guilherme Giufrida
- Carmézia Emiliano
- Paul Gauguin
- Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe
- Melissa Cody
- Amilton Mattos
Institutions
- Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)
- Universidade Federal do Acre
- Ministério dos Povos Indígenas
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Acre
- Av. Paulista