Maria Auxiliadora's Capoeira and the Power of Mandinga

publication · 2026-04-22

Renata Bittencourt's essay for Afterall examines Maria Auxiliadora's painting 'Capoeira' and the concept of Mandinga. The painting depicts a capoeira circle with a central Black figure, his eyes closed, body floating, embodying Mandinga—an innate quality of power, knowledge, and protection. Bittencourt connects this to the historical persecution of capoeira and Afro-Brazilian religions in Brazil. Auxiliadora (1935–1974) used her own hair in paintings to assert Black identity. Her work was rediscovered after a 2018 MASP exhibition. The essay compares her to Kerry James Marshall and argues against labeling her as 'naïve,' highlighting her acute awareness of her time and culture.

Key facts

Essay published on Afterall on 22 Jan 2021
Part of ArtSchool 2020 in partnership with Central Saint Martins and MASP
Maria Auxiliadora's painting 'Capoeira' features a Black figure with closed eyes, floating
Mandinga is an innate quality of capoeira, described by masters as knowledge of the invisible
Capoeira was criminalized in Brazil after abolition, added to UNESCO heritage list in 2014
Auxiliadora applied strands of her own hair to canvases for characterization of Black figures
Her first exhibition was at the United States Information Services Gallery in São Paulo
MASP exhibition in 2018 brought renewed attention to her work

Entities

Artists

Maria Auxiliadora
Renata Bittencourt
Lázaro Faria
Mestre Alabama
Mestre Bola Sete
Mestre Camisa
Mestre Decanio
Mestre Cobra Mansa
Mestre Bimba
Mestre Pastinha
Claudionor Assis Dias
Solano Trindade
Raquel Trindade
Vicente Paulo da Silva
Kerry James Marshall
Mário Schenberg
Alan Fischer
João Cândido
Stuart Hall

Institutions

Afterall
Central Saint Martins
Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)
United Nations
United States Information Services Gallery
Sociedade Esportiva Recreativa Beneficente Unidos do Parque Peruche

Locations

Brazil
São Paulo
Minas Gerais
Embu

Sources

Afterall — 2024-02-21