Living Statues Transform Ema Klabin House Museum Garden

On two Sundays in August, the garden of the Casa Museu Ema Klabin in São Paulo will feature a performance by Ana Dias Batista, where four performers pose as living statues. The work, titled 'SANS, SOUCI.', was selected through the Jardim Imaginário 2026 public call. The performances take place on August 16 and 23, from 11am to 5pm, and are inspired by the Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, Germany, a summer retreat of Frederick the Great. Ema Klabin incorporated elements of the 18th-century Prussian palace into her São Paulo residence, which was designed as a place of retreat and intellectual pleasure. The performers, dressed to evoke the caryatids and atlantes of Sanssouci's facade, create a sculptural presence in the garden, challenging contemporary notions of productivity and leisure. The artist also drew on 18th-century paintings by Antoine Watteau, Nicolas Lancret, and Jean-Honoré Fragonard for movement and scene construction. Over a month, Ana worked with the actors on costumes, wigs, and makeup to achieve a stone-like texture. The Casa Museu Ema Klabin preserves its original interiors and houses a collection spanning 35 centuries, including works by Frans Post, Marc Chagall, Tarsila do Amaral, and Candido Portinari. The garden was designed by Roberto Burle Marx. On the same days, a guided tour titled 'Palácio de Sanssouci e a casa da rua Portugal' will be offered at 2:30pm. The event is free.