Abre Alas 16

André Niemeyer, Andréa Hygino, Darks Miranda, Fátima Aguiar, Gilson Andrade, Juliana dos Santos, Leka Mendes, m. morani, max wíllà moraes, Mulambo, Nathalia Favaro, Reitchel Komch, Val Souza, Yan Copelli

Curated by Keyna Eleison, Pablo León de La Barra, Yhuri Cruz

By the end of 2004, the first year of the gallery’s life, Marcio Botner, Laura Lima and Ernesto Neto realized that they had a treasure in their hands: about 200 portfolios received from artists from all over Brazil. They decided that they would use all this material in one exhibition which has taken place since 2005 - close to the beginning of the Carnival, inaugurating the exhibition calendar of A Gentil Carioca.

The name Abre Alas is a reference to the car that opens the parade of the Samba schools. The project is an exhibition that was born with the intention of being an open space for young artists. Over time, the exhibition has included artists from around the world. A Gentil Carioca works as a showcase, and we are happy that the artists that have participated in the project are still going on their way and becoming part of a larger network.

This year, we had a record of six hundred and eleven applications, of which 14 artists from different regions of Brazil were selected by the curatorship of Keyna Eleison, Pablo León de La Barra and Yhuri Cruz.

Considering all sixteen editions, more than a hundred young Brazilians and foreign artists have participated in Abre Alas such as, for example: Amanda Mei, Arjan Martins, Bárbara Wagner, Bernardo Ramalho, Brenda Valansi, Camila Soato, Daniel Steegmann, Gabriela Mureb, Guga Ferraz, Jaime Lauriano, Maria Laet, Maria Nepomuceno, Maxwell Alexandre, Mulambo, Rafael Adorján, Rodrigo Torres, and more.

Many curators and artists participated in the selection commitee, among them are Adriana Varejão, Alexandre Vogler, Alexandre Sá, Assume Vivid Astro Focus, Beatriz Lemos, Bernardo Mosqueira, Cabelo, Clarissa Diniz, Felipe Scovino, João Modé, Livia Flores, Marta Mestre, Michelle Sommer, Pablo León de la Barra and Ulisses Carrilho.

The COMISSÃO DA FRENTE has been called to save the carnival
To continue on without looking back,
Even though the past haunts us
(how can we cross the avenue of the past?)

Let the destruction begin,
and from within, from inside the drums, the rhythm,
through the perception of dark eyes,
with something that has never been seen.

"How can we see without pulling and perceive without assimilating?"
More than inviting, more than accepting, more than admitting, more than redeeming, more than knowing the privilege, more than quoting parities. It is necessary to take part, realizing ignorance. The ignorance of the party.

"What can't you see, know and still deny"
That bodies are multiple and the multiple is intelligence. That what is collective can be structural, and what is structural can be remade from within and without. The intelligence of the rhythm.

"And who, then, is inside?"
Artists drum inside here, creating their art for us - the public. Let it be so, that the categories be of intelligence, of languages from up-close looks. Neither inside nor outside, the language of the next.

A collective exhibition designed as the full sections of samba schools. It is to be taken seriously, it is to be seen many times, it is to be talked about with everyone, it is to be with everyone, it is to realize that there is someone there that wasn't there before.

It is to be art.
It is to be a parade.

And each name must be said out loud:

André Niemeyer

Andréa Hygino

Darks Miranda

Fátima Aguiar

Gilson Andrade

Juliana dos Santos

Leka Mendes

m. morani

max wíllà moraes

Mulambo

Nathalia Favaro

Reitchel Komch

Val Souza

Yan Copelli

Text and curatorship (and many meetings) by Keyna Eleison, Pablo Leon de La Barra e Yhuri Cruz