Walter Firmo Retrospective at IMS Paulista Showcases 266 Photographs Spanning Seven Decades

A major retrospective of Brazilian photographer Walter Firmo opens at the Instituto Moreira Salles in São Paulo on April 30, 2025. Titled "Walter Firmo: no verbo do silêncio a síntese do grito," the exhibition occupies two floors with 266 images tracing his career from the 1950s to the present. Curated by Sergio Burgi and Janaina Damaceno Gomes, the show is organized into seven thematic sections, highlighting Firmo's shift from direct photojournalism toward a more theatrical, enchanted approach to image-making. Key works include large-format color photographs from Salvador, Cachoeira, and Conceição da Barra, alongside iconic portraits of musicians like Dona Ivone Lara, Cartola, and Gilberto Gil from the 1970s onward. The exhibition also features his award-winning 1964 reportage "100 dias na Amazônia de ninguém" for Jornal do Brasil, which earned him the Prêmio Esso. Born in 1937 in Rio de Janeiro, Firmo began his career at Última Hora in 1955 and later worked for Jornal do Brasil, Realidade, and Manchete, with a stint in New York in 1967 that exposed him to the Black is Beautiful movement. His work consistently centers Black Brazilians, documenting rituals, popular festivals, and daily life across the country. The opening day includes a public debate with the photographer and curators at the IMS Paulista cineteatro at 11 AM. Most works are drawn from Firmo's archive, which has been on loan to the IMS since 2018.