Exploring 70 years of Brazilian modern art through the works of ten pioneering artists.
Tarsila do Amaral, Landscape with Bridge, 1931. Oil on canvas, 39.5 x 46 cm. Private collection. Courtesy of Almeida & Dale Galeria de Arte – Photo: Sergio Guerini. © Tarsila do Amaral S/A
‘Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism’, a major new exhibition at the Royal Academy, will showcase over 130 works from the 1910s to the 1970s by ten key Brazilian artists, capturing the diversity of Brazilian art during this transformative period.
In early 20th-century Brazil, artists adapted contemporary trends and international influences while celebrating their distinct cultures, identities, and landscapes. This exhibition highlights works from rarely seen Brazilian private collections alongside pieces from public collections, many of which have never been displayed in the UK.
The featured artists include pioneers of Brazilian Modernism such as Anita Malfatti, Vicente do Rego Monteiro, and Lasar Segall, a Jewish Lithuanian emigré. Tarsila do Amaral, a leading female figure of the movement, is also prominently represented, alongside Candido Portinari. The exhibition extends to self-taught artists like Alfredo Volpi and Djanira da Motta e Silva, as well as Afro-Brazilian artist Rubem Valentim, Neo-Concrete polymath Geraldo de Barros, and the visionary artist-architect Flávio de Carvalho, an early queer performance artist in Brazil. Each artist will be represented by at least ten works, with several having their own dedicated gallery space. Together, these pieces trace a 70-year evolution of Brazilian art, from figuration to abstraction.
A special section of the exhibition will be dedicated to the historic 1944 ‘Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings’ at the Royal Academy—the first major showcase of modern Brazilian art in the UK. This wartime initiative, supported by the Brazilian government and the UK Foreign Office, featured 168 works by 70 artists, with proceeds benefiting the RAF Benevolent Fund. Twenty-three of these works were acquired by UK museums, and ‘Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism’ will include four paintings originally exhibited in 1944, celebrating this artistic and cultural gesture of solidarity.
The early 20th century saw Brazil emerge as a land of opportunity and cultural convergence. Alongside Indigenous communities were descendants of Portuguese colonisers and enslaved West Africans, as well as significant immigrant populations from Japan, Syria, Italy, and Germany. Rapid urbanisation in cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo fueled new political, social, and artistic movements. Brazilian artists increasingly sought to establish a national identity, moving beyond European and North American influences to create art that reflected their own lived realities.
By the 1910s, artists returning from Europe, particularly France, brought modernist influences back to Brazil. However, they adapted these styles to local themes, celebrating national identity through innovative forms of expression. ‘Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism’ offers a unique opportunity to experience the work of ten significant artists, each illustrating the multicultural richness and artistic evolution of Brazil over the course of the 20th century.
Featured Artists:
- Tarsila do Amaral (1886–1973)
- Anita Malfatti (1889–1964)
- Alfredo Volpi (1896–1988)
- Lasar Segall (1891–1957)
- Vicente do Rego Monteiro (1899–1970)
- Flávio de Carvalho (1899–1973)
- Candido Portinari (1903–1962)
- Djanira da Motta e Silva (1914–1979)
- Rubem Valentim (1922–1991)
- Geraldo de Barros (1923–1998)
Exhibition Details:
- Organisers: Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts, London.
- Curators: Dr. Fabienne Eggelhöfer (Zentrum Paul Klee), Roberta Saraiva Coutinho (Museu da Língua Portuguesa, São Paulo), and Dr. Adrian Locke (Royal Academy of Arts).
- Tour Dates:
- Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern: 7 September 2024 – 5 January 2025
- Royal Academy of Arts, London: 28 January – 21 April 2025
Accompanying Publication: A fully illustrated catalogue will be available in German and English, featuring texts by Fabienne Eggelhöfer, Roberta Saraiva Coutinho, and others. The English edition will include an additional essay on the 1944 Royal Academy exhibition by Adrian Locke.
‘Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism’ is a landmark exhibition that brings together a dynamic and diverse group of artists whose work defined a century of Brazilian modernism. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience their groundbreaking contributions to the global art scene.
The exhibition will be on view from the 28th of January until the 21st of April, 2025. For more information, please visit the Royal Academy.
