Available for pre-sale on the online channels of the best bookstores in Brazil, “Enciclopédia Negra” (“Black Encyclopedia”) – a project organized by Flávio Gomes, Jaime Lauriano and Lilia Schwarcz – presents more than 400 biographical entries, covering the period of slavery and the post- abolition, in order to reestablish black protagonism in the country’s history.
From Abdias do Nascimento to Zeferina and Zumbi dos Palmares, these entries represent a reconciliation of Brazil with the silenced memory of millions of people who helped to build the country’s history. 36 black artists, including Ayrson Heráclito and Mulambö – represented by Portas Vilaseca Galeria – created portraits inspired by the encyclopedia entries, which in the printed version will be gathered in a picture book, and next month they will be on display in a group show at the Pinacoteca do Estado de Sao Paulo.
The portraits will also be included in the Pinacoteca’s collection, creating an important intervention regarding the search for representation of Afro-Brazilian artists in the museum. The group show will be the first public display of the project, which will then tour in other spaces.
Click here and visit Companhia das Letras website to reserve your copy.
Check on the gallery below, a selection of some portraits developed exclusively for the project by artists Ayrson Heráclito and Mulambö.
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- Ayrson Heráclito. Retrato de Luiz Pereira de Almeida, 2020. Watercolor on cotton paper. 41,8 x 29,8 cm
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- Ayrson Heráclito. Retrato de Domingos Sodré, 2020. Watercolor on cotton paper. 41,4 x 30 cm
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- Ayrson Heráclito. Retrato de Mateus Pereira Machado, 2020. Watercolor on cotton paper. 42 x 30,5 cm
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- Ayrson Heráclito. Retrato de Luiza Mahin, 2020. Watercolor on cotton paper. 41,6 x 30,5 cm
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- Mulambö. Ganga Zumba, 2021. Acrylic on cardboard.
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- Mulambö. Rosa Cebola, 2021. Acrylic on cardboard.
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- Mulambö. Aleijadinho, 2021. Acrylic on cardboard.
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- Mulambö. Quindomba, 2021. Acrylic on cardboard.
