Museu de Arte do Rio Faces Austerity with Leadership Exits and Volunteer Efforts

The Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR) confronts severe austerity measures imposed by the federal government, leading to the departure of cultural director Evandro Salles and executive director Eleonora Santa Rosa. Despite significant staff reductions, the museum remains open with a core team of monitors and museology staff. Curator and critic Paulo Herkenhoff works voluntarily on the collection and upcoming exhibitions. A masterpiece of Brazilian Baroque by Vieira Servas arrives next week, and an exhibition of Louise Bourgeois's 'Spider' opens November 30, curated voluntarily by Herkenhoff with support from Itaú Cultural. Future 2020 plans include selecting a new OS, expanding financial contributions from traditional partners, and restoring educational programs. MAR's president, Luiz Chrysostomo de Oliveira, ensures the institution's continuity, with the museum becoming one of Brazil's two most visited alongside MASP. The Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage faces similar dismantling, as noted by Katia de Marco of the Associação Brasileira de Gestão Cultural, who condemns the censorship and disassembly of cultural institutions by conservative governments.