Curated by Ivo Mesquita and Ana Paula Cohen
Not least by leaving empty the second floor of the massive Pavilhão Ciccillo Matarazzo, the curators of this year’s Bienal de São Paulo intend to create a “pause for reflection” on the vocation of the BSP as an institution as well as the hyperactivity of international exhibitions in general. Events and discussions addressing the crisis of the biennial model will be held on the first floor of the Oscar Niemeyer–designed building, along with more traditional artist’s talks, performances, and concerts, while the top floor will house a display of material from the archives of the biennial since its inception in 1951. Works from more than thirty-five artists, some engaging with the history of the BSP, will also be on view in and outside the pavilion. The biennial is accompanied by five publications, including an exhibition guide and a “newspaper” to be published periodically during the show’s run.
