2 Oct 2025

Visual essay in three parts: The installation of the 36th Bienal de São Paulo. Part 2, by Fe Avila

Imagem em preto e branco da montagem da 36ª Bienal, contraluz, com as janelas do pavilhão atrás e algumas paredes, e pessoas trabalhando. — © Fe Avila / Fundação Bienal de São Paulo

Art is a collective exercise. It takes many hands to build an exhibition. Have you ever wondered who the artist is and who are the people who worked on each artwork? This essay explores the category of portraiture, highlighting artists, installation teams, curators, and staff of the Fundação Bienal.

Putting together an exhibition on the scale of a Bienal is a great challenge. To document this two-month process – from constructing the architecture with the installation of walls in the Pavilion to the final adjustments and the installation of artworks alongside the artists – we invited three photographers to capture details, faces, and moments of creation.

The second part of this visual essay, produced between August 18 and September 4 at the Bienal Pavilion and in artists’ studios, is signed by Fe Avila.

Antonio Társis and team.

Installation team.

Nguyễn Trinh Thi.

Akinbobe Akinbiyi.

Moisés Patrício and team.

Moisés Patrício.

Alberto Pitta.

Pol Taburet.

Pélagie Gbaguidi.

Berenice Olmedo.

Korakrit Arunanondchai.

Wolfgang Tillmans and Korakrit Arunanondchai.

Wolfgang Tillmans.

Theresah Ankomah and Victoria.

Moffat Takadiwa and team.

Lidia Lisbôa and team.

Lidia Lisbôa.

Rebeca Carapiá.

Helena Uambembe.

Juliana dos Santos.

Maxwell Alexandre.

Ana Raylander Mártis dos Anjos.

Vilanismo.

Installation and cleaning team.

Tanka Fonta and team.

Márcia Falcão.

Laure Prouvost.

Manauara Clandestina.

Manauara Clandestina.

Tobechukwu Onwukeme (Forensic Architecture/Forensis) and Thiago de Paula Souza.

Emeka Ogboh.

Carla Gueye.

Sallisa Rosa.

Sallisa Rosa.

Sallisa Rosa.

Nádia Taquary.

Nádia Taquary.

Kaka Farias and Gê Viana.

Gê Viana.

Precious Okoyomon.

Precious Okoyomon.

Fabiano Procópio.

Works of Gervane de Paula during installation.

Alex and Pêna Yara.

Santiago Rid and Tiago Guimarães.

Thiago de Paula Souza.

Work of Theresah Ankomah in assembly.

Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung.

Welding team.

Akinbobe Akinbiyi, Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung and Thiago de Paula Souza.

Pavilion during installation.

Welding team.

All photos: © Fe Avila / Fundação Bienal de São Paulo

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Foto de duas pessoas lado a lado na rampa do Pavilhão da Bienal. A pessoa ao lado esquerdo é uma mulher alta, de cabelos soltos encaracolados, sorrindo, de pele negra, usando um terno em alfaiataria. Ao lado direito, um homem branco está com o braço apoiado no guarda-corpo, mais sério, com cabelos raspados, usando um terno escuro com detalhe em vermelho. O prédio atrás é branco e possui curvas sinuosas. — Portrait of Amanda Carneiro and Raphael Fonsceca, chief curators of the 37th Bienal de São Paulo© Fe Avila / Fundação Bienal de São Paulo

News28 Apr 2026

The Fundação Bienal de São Paulo announces Amanda Carneiro and Raphael Fonseca as chief curators of the 37th Bienal de São Paulo

With careers forged between Brazil and the world’s leading art events and institutions, the duo will curate the 2027 edition at the Pavilhão Ciccillo Matarazzo.

Vista da série For Time Is the Witness of Humanity, de Ruth Ige, durante a itinerância da 36ª Bienal de São Paulo em Curitiba © Vinícius Perbichi / Fundação Bienal de São Paulo

Interviews24 Apr 2026

For Time Is the Witness of Humanity: interview with Ruth Ige

Brushstrokes of indigo and various shades of blue permeate Ruth Ige’s paintings, characterized by the enigmatic presence of faceless figures. Exhibited at the 36th Bienal de São Paulo, the series For Time Is the Witness of Humanity is now part of the Bienal’s traveling exhibition in Curitiba. Read the artist’s statement below.

Vaso de barro preso em placa de cimento — Detail view os Brasilidades, by Moisés Patrício, during the 36th Bienal de São Paulo© Natt Fejfar / Fundação Bienal de São Paulo

Interviews16 Apr 2026

Brasilidades: interview with Moisés Patrício

Hybrid concrete and clay sculptures comprise Brasilidades [Braziliannesses], a work presented by Moisés Patrício at the 36th Bienal de São Paulo. In it, concrete cubes reminiscent of brutalist constructivism engulf ceramic candomblé objects (basins, small bowls, and clay vases). The work is now part of the Bienal’s itinerant exhibition in Rio de Janeiro. Read the artist’s statement below.

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