Nádia Taquary's Ancestral Jewelry and Feminist Art at Sesc Belenzinho
The solo exhibition Ònà Irin: caminho de ferro by Nádia Taquary is currently on display at Sesc Belenzinho, showcasing 22 pieces that explore Afro-Brazilian heritage and femininity. Curated by Amanda Bonan, Ayrson Heráclito, and Marcelo Campos, the exhibition will be available until February 22, 2026. Taquary’s artistic path was inspired by Solange de Sampaio Godoy's book, prompting her to delve into Afro-Brazilian jewelry. She encountered balangandãs at Museu Carlos Costa Pinto, artifacts used by Black women in 18th- and 19th-century Bahia. Her inaugural piece, Abre Caminhos, is a significant balangandã. This exhibition first appeared at Museu de Arte do Rio in 2023 and will continue at Museu Nacional da Cultura Afro-Brasileira until March 2024, reflecting her international experiences and themes of feminine strength.
Key facts
- Nádia Taquary's exhibition Ònà Irin: caminho de ferro is on view at Sesc Belenzinho until February 22, 2026.
- The show features 22 works exploring Afro-Brazilian ancestry and femininity, curated by Amanda Bonan, Ayrson Heráclito, and Marcelo Campos.
- Taquary's research began with the book Círculo Das Contas: Jóias De Crioulas Baianas by Solange de Sampaio Godoy.
- Her first work, Abre Caminhos, is a large balangandã with ten symbols from her investigation of Afro-Brazilian jewelry.
- Balangandãs were used by enslaved and freed Black women in 18th- and 19th-century Bahia for faith, protection, and prosperity.
- The exhibition previously appeared at Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR) in 2023 and Museu Nacional da Cultura Afro-Brasileira (MUNCAB) in Salvador until March 2024.
- Taquary created a maquette with mirrors and paper, drawing paths in seven directions referencing Exu, which became the exhibition's conceptual core.
- A recurring sculpture, Mulher pássaro e a Mulher peixe, is based on a Yoruba itan about feminine power and appears in this show and the 36ª Bienal de São Paulo.
Entities
Artists
- Nádia Taquary
- Amanda Bonan
- Ayrson Heráclito
- Marcelo Campos
- Solange de Sampaio Godoy
- Tiganá Santana
- Thales Leite
Institutions
- Sesc Belenzinho
- Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR)
- Museu Nacional da Cultura Afro-Brasileira (MUNCAB)
- Museu Carlos Costa Pinto
- 36ª Bienal de São Paulo
- Museu de Arte do Rio
- Museu Nacional da Cultura Afro-Brasileira
- Artishock Revista
- Agência Brasil
- Sesc São Paulo
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Salvador
- Bahia
- Salvador de Bahía
- Republica Checa
- Nigeria