For an optimal view of our website, please rotate your tablet horizontally.
18 October 2023 - 25 February 2024
São Paulo, Brazil
Title: Memory is an editing station | 40-Year Special
See the curatorial text
The event marks Videobrasil’s 40th anniversary
Artistic Director: Solange Farkas
Curators: Raphael Fonseca and Renée Akitelek Mboya
Four decades after the first Videobrasil festival was held, in the final years of the civil-military dictatorship that ravaged Brazil, the 22nd Sesc_Videobrasil Biennial - 40-Year Special will be held at Sesc 24 de Maio, in São Paulo, from October 18, 2023 to February 25, 2024. Under the title "Memory is an island of editing", the exhibition dialogues with the event's long history, while reflecting the world's present moment and pointing to future paths, through works by 60 artists from the Global South.
Artistically directed by Solange Oliveira Farkas and curated by Brazilian Raphael Fonseca and Kenyan Renée Akitelek Mboya, the edition is the result of a partnership between Sesc SP and Associação Cultural Videobrasil. Based on a verse by poet Waly Salomão (1943-2003), the curatorial section presents different visions and ways of dealing with memory - and forgetting - whether individual or collective, linked to varied social, political and cultural contexts. The various ideas of memory that emerge at the Biennale vary not only according to the generation of the participating artists, but also their geographical origin and the media and supports they use - such as video, installation, photography, performance and textiles.
Andro Eradze (Georgia): Raised in the Dust, 2022
© Photo: Courtesy of Biennial Sesc_Videobrasil
The Global South that emerges in this edition, with artists from 38 countries in Africa, the Americas (South, Central and North), Asia, Europe (East and Portugal), the Middle East and Oceania - including representatives of indigenous peoples - also reflects the post-pandemic global context. With significant space for audiovisual languages, based on the perception of the central role that video plays in contemporary life, the edition traces a direct dialog with the beginnings of Videobrasil. Thus, it celebrates its four decades with the parallel 40-Year Special exhibition, on the 4th floor of Sesc 24 de Maio, which covers the entire history of the event and its transformations over time.
More than just a big event, the 22nd Sesc_Videobrasil Biennial is a platform for generating knowledge and creating networks in marginalized territories on the world arts map. To this end, a series of public programs will be held throughout the event. Sesc_Videobrasil invites everyone interested to visit Sesc 24 de Maio, follow the activities and browse the Biennial's website and social networks, which will be constantly updated.
The Artistic Director talks about the 22nd Biennial Sesc_Videobrasil
(on the Youtube channel of the Biennial)
Curator Raphael Fonseca comments on the 22nd Biennial Sesc_Videobrasil
(on the Youtube channel of the Biennial)
The 22nd Biennial Sesc_Videobrasil will promote a series of public programs, organized by Renée Mboya to stimulate experiences, exchange ideas and generate content, with all activities free and open to the public. Among the guests at the opening week are Ali Cherri, who is showing the film "DAM" for the first time in Brazil; Doplgenger, Kent Chan and Thi My Lien Nguyen, who are giving performances; a series of artists participating in the Biennale such as Antonio Pichilla Quiacain, Eduardo Montelli, Guadalupe Rosales, Leila Danziger, Maksaens Denis, Natalia Lassalle-Morillo, Froiid, Pamela Cevallos, Tirzo Martha, Vitória Cribb, Youqine Lefèvre, Zé Carlos Garcia; mediators Paula Nascimento, Siddarthha Perez, Siddartha Mitter and Ying Kwok; and special guests such as Anna Bella Geiger and Vivian Ostrovsky. The full schedule with dates and times of the public programs will soon be available on the Biennial Sesc_Videobrasil website.
Iwantja Arts (Australia): Elizabeth and Vincent, 2021
© Photo: Courtesy of Biennial Sesc_Videobrasil
From press information.
© Cover image on top: Haupt & Binder, Universes in Universe
© Photos: Biennial Sesc_Videobrasil
