Sesc Pompeia hosts 'A parábola do progresso' exhibition examining Brazilian modernity through contemporary art

The exhibition 'A parábola do progresso' at Sesc Pompeia in São Paulo concludes a year of events marking Brazil's 200th independence anniversary and the centenary of the Modern Art Week. Curated by Lisette Lagnado with assistant curators André Pitol and Yudi Rafael, the show features over 600 items by approximately 100 artists, organized through complementary thematic nuclei rather than a linear historical narrative. Five community-based spaces—Acervo da Laje (Salvador), Aldeia Kalipety and Casa do Povo (São Paulo), Quilombo Santa Rosa dos Pretos (Itapecuru Mirim, Maranhão), and Savvy Contemporary (Berlin)—participate with customized exhibition nuclei. Architect Lina Bo Bardi, whose Sesc Pompeia building celebrates its 40th anniversary, serves as a central figure, represented through her space and projects connecting Africa and Brazil. The exhibition critically addresses colonialism, racism, nature, immigration, and resistance, juxtaposing contemporary works with ten iconic modernist pieces by artists like Tarsila do Amaral and Lasar Segall displayed virtually in lightboxes. A publication with essays and photographic documentation by the late Rochelle Costi will accompany the show, which runs until April 2023.