The trajectory of Portas Vilaseca is sui generis in the panorama of Brazilian art. Founded by Jaime Portas Vilaseca in 2010, the gallery emerged from the transformation of an old and traditional local frame shop into a contemporary art gallery focused on promoting artists with research and experimental practices. In 2018, it moved to a three-story townhouse in the neighborhood of Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro. The ground floor maintains a traditional museum configuration, while the upper floors focus on experimental artistic projects, designed in dialogue with the space.
Currently, the gallery represents 22 artists who comprise a diverse panorama of emerging Brazilian contemporary art. In addition to supporting experimental works, Portas Vilaseca Galeria seeks artists engaged in current issues, such as the anti-racist struggle, queer expression and LGBTQIA+ rights, political and social issues, the climate crisis and the intersection between art and new technologies.
The artists represented by Portas Vilaseca Galeria are present in international biennials, such as the São Paulo Biennial, Venice Biennial, Mercosul Biennial, SESC_Videobrasil Biennial, and in exhibitions at renowned institutions, including Haus der Kunst (Munich/Germany), Ikon (Birmingham/ UK), Kunstraum Innsbruck (Innsbruck/Austria), Galleria Nazionale de Rome (Rome/Italy), Pinacoteca de São Paulo (São Paulo/Brazil), Inhotim (Brumadinho/Brazil), São Paulo Museum of Art – MASP (São Paulo/Brazil) , Instituto Moreira Salles (São Paulo/Brazil), Museu de Arte do Rio – MAR (Rio de Janeiro/Brazil), SESC (São Paulo/Brazil) and Museu Afro Brasil (São Paulo/Brazil).