ArtRio 2025

Rio as the Matrix of Brazilian Modernism

Rio de Janeiro has been — and continues to be — one of the great creative epicenters of art and design in Brazil. For this edition of ArtRio, we present a selection of works spanning different periods, revealing how artists and designers who lived or created in the city played a decisive role in shaping its cultural identity.

From the modernism of the 1940s and 1950s to the experimental practices extending into the 90s, names such as Joaquim Tenreiro, Sérgio Rodrigues, Paulo Roberto Leal, Abraham Palatnik, Lygia Pape, Ione Saldanha, Antonio Dias, Frans Krajcberg, and Ubi Bava stand out. Each, in their own way, absorbed the spirit of the city into their work — expressed through functionality, formal rigor, local materials, and artisanal techniques that became hallmarks of a unique aesthetic.

The curatorship of this exhibition was carried out in partnership with 42, a gallery dedicated to Brazilian modern design. By combining technical knowledge with critical sensitivity, we propose a journey into the roots that continue to resonate today, reaffirming Rio de Janeiro’s legacy as a fertile territory of creation, dialogue, and cultural transformation.