José Resende Institute Opens in Rural São Paulo with Retrospective Exhibition

The Instituto José Resende has launched in São José do Barreiro, a small town between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, dedicated to exhibiting the work of sculptor José Resende. Spanning 1,200 square meters across indoor and outdoor areas, the institute's inaugural show, curated by Ronaldo Brito, presents a selection of works produced from the 1960s to the present. Resende's diverse practice employs materials like steel, straw, stones, copper tubes, lead sheets, leather, glass, and paraffin. The institute aims to fully exhibit the artist's sculptures according to their intrinsic poetic logic and act as a global hub for his work. Conceived by Resende and his longtime dealer Paulo Fernandes, the project was realized without public or private corporate sponsorship. Resende, who studied printmaking and architecture, co-founded the Grupo Rex in 1966 and helped establish the Centro de Experimentação Artística Escola Brasil in 1970, becoming a major figure in Brazilian contemporary sculpture. The cultural space opens on weekends and by appointment on weekdays. The opening exhibition runs from May 19 to August 18.