(São Paulo, Brazil)
From the naked body of Renaissance paintings, passing through the sensual and vulnerable figures created by Schiele, Renoir and Gauguin, and finally reaching contemporaneity and the acknowledgement of the body as a site of violence and pleasure, sexuality has permeated art history in more ways than we can count. “Histórias da Sexualidade” [“Histories of Sexuality”], which starts this Friday, October 20th, at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP), showcases works by more than 60 artists to tell some of these stories.
Curated by Adriano Pedrosa Camila Bechelany, Lilia Schwarcz, and Pablo León de la Barra (PIPA Prize 2016 Nominating Committee member), the group show brings a broad and inclusive panorama of works addressing sexuality, starting from artists such as Picasso and Manet and going all the way through contemporary production, featuring works by Aleta Valente, Ayrson Heráclito, Erika Verzutti, Lyz Parayzo and Rafael RG.
“In these stories, there are no absolute or definitive truths”, states the introductory text to the show. “The boundaries of what is morally acceptable vary from time to time. The only indisputable fact, the one which we can’t forgo, is respect towards each other, towards difference and towards artistic freedom. This way, we need to reaffirm the necessity of a space for dialogue where everyone of us – which with its own beliefs, practices, political orientations and sexualities – may live together in peace.”
The exhibition comes out as a definitive cry in defense of freedom of expression, lately endangered in Brazil as some of the latest events involving the artistic community have proved. To avoid that from happening yet once again, MASP has summoned up the population to protest against censorship a day prior to the opening of the exhibition, on Thursday, October 19th.
“Histórias da sexualidade”, group show featuring Adir Sodré, Adriana Varejão, Alair Gomes, Albino Braz, Aleta Valente, Alexandre da Cunha, Alice Neel, Almandrade, Álvaro Barrios, Ana Mendieta, Anita Malfatti, Anna Bella Geiger, Autorias desconhecidas, AVAF, Ayrson Heráclito, Balthus, Betty Tompkins, Bhupen Khakhar, Carlos Leppe, Carlos Martiel, Carlos Motta, Carlos Zéfiro, Carolee Schneeman, Chico Tabibuia, Cibelle Cavali Bastos, Cícero Dias, Cildo Meireles, Cláudia Andujar, Collier Schorr, Cristina Lucas, Dean Sameshima, Descartes Gadelha, Dias & Riedweg, Dorothy Iannone, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, Eduardo Costa, Eduardo Kac, Egon Schiele, Eisen, Eizan, Eliseu Visconti, Ellen Cantor, Erika Verzutti, Ernesto Neto, Flávio de Carvalho, Francis Bacon, Francisco Leopoldo e Silva, François Clouet, GALF—Grupo de Ação Lésbico Feminista, General Idea, Georgete Melhem, Giuseppe Campuzano, Glauco Mattoso, Graciela Iturbide, Hal Fischer, Hudinilson Jr., Hulda Gúzman, Iris Häussler, Jac Leirner, Javier Castro Rivera, J.A.D. Ingres, José Antonio da Silva, José Celestino da Silva, Juan Davila, Juca Martins, Kohei Yoshiyuki, Lasar Segall, Leda Catunda, Léon Ferrari, Leonilson, Leticia Parente, Lionel Wendt, Louise Bourgeois, Lynda Benglis, Lyz Parayzo, Madalena Schwartz, Marcelo Krasilcic, Márcia X, Maria Auxiliadora da Silva, María Galindo, Marta Minujin, Martha Wilson, Mickalene Thomas, Miguel Ángel Cárdenas, Miguel Angel Rojas, Miriam Cahn, Mirian Inês da Silva, Moacir, Movimento de Arte Pornô, Mujeres Creando, Nahum B. Zenil, Nancy Spero, Nicolas Poussin, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Paulo Bruscky, Paulo Pedro Leal, Paz Errázuriz, Pedro Lemebel, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pietro Perugino, Rafael França, Rafael RG, Regina Vater, Renato de Lima, Rivane Neuenschwander, Robert Mapplethorpe, Fabulosos Nobodies, Rosa Gauditano, Sergio Zevallos, Serigrafistas Queer, Suzanne Valadon, Teresa Margolles, Tracey Emin, Tracey Moffatt, Valie Export, Vania Toledo, Vicente do Rego Monteiro, Victor Meirelles, Virginia de Medeiros, Wolfgang Tillmans, Yeguas del Apocalipsis and Zoe Leonard
Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, Lilia Schwarcz, Camila Bechelany and Pablo León de la Barra
On view from October 20th through February 14th, 2018
Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)
Avenida Paulista, 1578 – Cerqueira César
Working hours: tue – sun, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; thu, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
T: (+55 11) 3149-5959
atendimento@masp.org.br