Statue of Borba Gato Set on Fire in São Paulo, Reigniting Debate on Colonial Monuments
On July 24, the Borba Gato statue in São Paulo was ignited by Revolução Periférica. Created by Júlio Guerra in 1963, this sculpture has previously been targeted, facing a 2020 intervention and a paint attack in 2016. The event has reignited discussions surrounding monuments associated with slavery and bandeirantes. Anthropologist Hélio Menezes contends that such monuments mirror the period of their creation and may uphold outdated perspectives. Artist Giselle Beiguelman views these actions as a form of activism, suggesting they be moved to museums. Lawyer Thiago Amparo highlights that the glorified portrayal of bandeirantes is a 20th-century reinterpretation. Writer Itamar Vieira Junior proposes replacing statues of slave traders with those celebrating abolitionists, echoing movements like the removal of Confederate statues after George Floyd's death on May 25, 2020.
Key facts
- The Borba Gato statue was set on fire on July 24.
- The group Revolução Periférica claimed responsibility.
- The statue was inaugurated in 1963 and created by sculptor Júlio Guerra.
- Previous actions against it occurred in 2016 (paint) and 2020 (artistic intervention with skulls).
- Hélio Menezes argues monuments reflect their creation context and often freeze discredited historical representations.
- Giselle Beiguelman suggests relocating controversial monuments to museums for symbolic reprogramming.
- Thiago Amparo notes the romanticized image of bandeirantes is a 20th-century revision.
- Itamar Vieira Junior cites a statue in Salvador honoring slave trafficker Conde de Pereira Marinho.
Entities
Artists
- Júlio Guerra
- Hélio Menezes
- Giselle Beiguelman
- Thiago Amparo
- Itamar Vieira Junior
- Fabiana Moraes
- Moacir dos Anjos
- Cristiana Ferreira Lyrio Ximenes
- Tadeu Chiarelli
- Naiara Tukano
Institutions
- Revolução Periférica
- Folha de S. Paulo
- FGV
- Rádio USP
- arte!brasileiros
- Revista Rosa
- Grupo de Ação
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Salvador
- Bahia
- New York City
- United States
- Yale University