Marking the beginning of the celebrations for Portas Vilaseca Gallery‘s 15th anniversary in 2025, we are pleased to present in Rio de Janeiro The Theater of Terror, a solo exhibition by artist Ismael Monticelli, on view at Casa França-Brasil.

The exhibition investigates the events of January 8, 2023, establishing a dialogue with Futurism, the early 20th-century avant-garde art movement notoriously associated with fascism.

The Theater of Terror draws specific inspiration from the works of Italian artist Fortunato Depero, created in the 1920s.

Monticelli takes over the historic nave of Casa França-Brasil with an installation that transforms the building, designed by Grandjean de Montigny, into a stage for combat, violence, and theatricality. The work highlights the media-driven and spectacular nature of the attempted coup against the Democratic Rule of Law.

After receiving more than 40,000 visitors at the National Museum of Brasília in 2024, the installation arrives in Rio de Janeiro at a symbolic moment, two years after the acts that vandalized the headquarters of Brazilian Government. It reexamines the complexities, resonances, and repercussions of these events. The public is invited to reflect on how violence intertwines with celebration, resonating in the aesthetics of extremist movements and their cultural representations.

Featuring a text by curator Clarissa Diniz, The Theater of Terror will be on view until February 23, 2025, with free admission from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm.

Don’t miss it!

Info

The Theater of Terror | Ismael Monticelli
Where: Casa França-Brasil | Rua Visconde de Itaboraí, 78 – Centro – Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Opening: January 4, 2025 | 3 – 7 pm
Visiting times: January 5 to February 23 | Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM
Free admission