The Museum of Image and Sound (MIS) is honoring in November, Black Consciousness month, 81 black personalities in a collective mega-exhibition of graffiti. The works, made by 81 artists from the outskirts of São Paulo cities, are on display at the museum’s headquarters. Reproductions of the works are spread over almost a hundred cultural spaces in São Paulo, such as the Afro Brasil Museum, the Latin America Memorial, and the Fábricas de Cultura.
The exhibition is part of the program of the Virada da Consciência Negra, composed of 220 activities in museums, libraries, theaters, Culture Factories and institutions of the Secretary of Culture and Creative Economy of the State of São Paulo.
??[A nossa intenção é] give greater visibility to black artists and their works in order to highlight the immense contribution that these artists have made to the cultural scene of our country over time. The idea was to carry out activities that are capable of giving this visibility, which is more than deserved, more than fair visibility”, highlighted the Secretary of Culture and Creative Economy, Sérgio Sá Leitão, in an interview with Agência Brasil.
??[Propusemos] activities that encourage the public to reflect on this evil that is racism, which unfortunately still persists in Brazilian society, and is an evil that needs to be uprooted, that needs to be fought. The idea is that these activities invite the population to think and reflect on the issue of racism, but in this sense, to generate indignation in relation to racism and generate rejection of racism”, he added.
Among the black personalities honored is Emanoel Araújo, founder, director and curator of the Afro Brasil Museum, who died on September 7, recognized for defending, valuing and giving visibility to Afro-Brazilian production in the most diverse fields. The singer Elza Soares, who died at the beginning of the year, and a reference in black music, is also honored.
Graphite
According to the secretary, the choice of graffiti was due to the representativeness of this type of art. “Graffiti is essentially an urban artistic language that is born in slums and outskirts and reaches the world where the vast majority of artists are black. So, therefore, it is a manifestation or a language of visual arts that is closely associated with the contribution of the black community to the art and culture of our country”.
The choice of honorees was made by the Council for Participation and Development of the Black Community (CPDCN) of the state of São Paulo, the first body in the country created to defend the rights of the black community and fight racism. According to the State Department of Culture, the 81 black personalities were selected because of their trajectory and biography.
The story of each of the honorees can be read here?? The exhibition takes place at MIS (Avenida Europa, 158) until January 29, 2023, from Tuesday to Friday from 11 am to 7 pm. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 10 am to 6 pm; Admission is free.
