Mendes Wood DM Opens New São Paulo Space with Solo Shows by Sonia Gomes, Otobong Nkanga, and Hariel Revignet

On Saturday, March 21, Mendes Wood DM inaugurated solo exhibitions by Sonia Gomes, Otobong Nkanga, and Hariel Revignet at its São Paulo gallery, marking its relocation from Rua Consolação after 11 years to a new space in Barra Funda. Sonia Gomes presents 'Lágrima,' featuring five works created during the pandemic, including the titular piece completed in early March 2020. The show includes twisted forms filled with vibrant, contrasting fabrics, a process described by associate director Matheus Yehudi as one of destruction before construction. Otobong Nkanga, a Nigerian artist based in Belgium, exhibits installations, drawings, and tapestries in Brazil for the first time, with works exploring interruption, reconfiguration, and nature. Her installation 'Contained Measures of Tangible Memories' (2009-2011) features movable wooden modules displaying natural products from Morocco, examining cultural dialectics. Hariel Revignet debuts with 'AKEWANI, Prece da Terra,' focusing on African and indigenous ancestral intersections, following her participation in the 'Enciclopédia Negra' project. The exhibitions run until September 25. From August 28, works by Adriano Costa and Lucas Arruda will occupy the new Barra Funda venue.