Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
Over eighty years ago, in November 1944, the Royal Academy hosted Britain's first and most extensive exhibition of Brazilian modern art. The exhibition was split into two sections - one with eighty paintings and the other with eighty- six works on paper. In their 2025 exhibition, Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism, on view till the 21st of April, works by artists - Lasar Segall, Tarsila do Amaral, Candido Portinari and Roberto Burle Marx have been brought back to their original location at the Royal Academy. These four artists are now accompanied by six others whose works have been essential to the birth of modern art in Brazil.
The exhibition opens with a brief look into the 1944 exhibition. The catalogue for that exhibition, an old turquoise book titled Exhibition of Modern Brazillian Paintings, sits in a vitrine in the entrance hall. Next to it, taking centre stage, is Candido Portinari’s The Scarecrow (1940). Even though the work was painted just shy of a hundred years ago, the thick oil paints sit atop the canvas as though freshly painted. The white paint at the centre of the painting, while striking, quickly starts to blend into the dark brown background, appearing in stripes and fighting to be still seen. The landscape of the painting is made clear with the night sky, full moon and dotted mountains. However, the shading and blending in it bring a certain ambiguity and abstraction to the work, a fundamental characteristic of modern art across the globe. This famous painting by Portinari, who was considered one of Brazil’s most important artists at the time, also graces the cover of the novel - Public Diplomacy on the Front Line: The Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings written by Hayle Gadelha, which is a comprehensive study of the 1944 exhibition.
Walking through the winding rooms of the main galleries, with their tall ceilings and golden moulding, what stands out is the grandeur of this exhibition. The first letter of the surname of each of the ten artists is enlarged next to an introduction to their lives and work. This bold writing of letters is complimented by the gigantic colourful benches in the rooms and adorned by the peach, powder blue and golden walls. The visual aesthetic of the galleries makes them appear more akin to an immersive experience where the art is coming to life and telling a story than just a white cube with paintings on the wall.
Among the ten artists are three trailblazing female Brazillian pioneers of modern art. This includes Anita Malfatti, who held a contemporary painting exhibition in São Paulo in 1916. Her artistic focus on ordinary people as subjects was initially met with ridicule and dismissal for its perceived lack of artistic merit. This criticism, unfortunately, greatly affected the artist, and when she returned to the city in 1928, she was no longer the experimental artist she had been. Her paintings in this exhibition contain several pieces from 1915 that depict the artist in her prime, creating something new and unheard of. They showcase her ingenuity, and while to an audience in 2025, they may seem ordinary, it is only because artists such as herself continued to push the boundaries of what art could be that contemporary art allows limitless creativity.
The repetition of Brasil! in the exhibition title perhaps references a 2022 Guardian article titled ‘A clash of two Brazils’: presidential election divides voters – even gangsters. The exhibition acts as a repository of artwork from both sides. It refers to not only a socio-economic divide within the country but also a clash between the citizens' social, religious and cultural values. It encompasses artists from different socio-economic backgrounds and those with different faiths and religions. This includes Rubem Valentim, a sculptor and painter whose three sculptures are the only works not restricted to the canvas in this exhibition. Valentim referred to himself as an “artist-priest”. He grew up deeply influenced by Roman Catholicism and Candomblé, an African-Brazilian religion combining traditional African beliefs with aspects of Catholicism. Celebrating African identity was crucial to his work and can be seen in the exhibition in his use of Afro-Brazillian spiritual iconography, encompassing colour and sacred symbols.
A lack of representation of Brazilian modern art in London makes Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a unique exhibition. It focuses on creating a space for the visitor to spend hours in, looking at the tiny details in each painting, soaking in the vibrant colours, sitting on the long benches, thinking about perhaps the similarities in global modern art movements and understanding the complexities within Brazilian art. Apart from bringing Brazil together in its title, the exhibition does not intrude on the vision of the artists. Their works hang on the wall, in all their glory, perhaps slightly too high looking from the perspective of a wheelchair user. With deep colours and simple visuals, this exhibition is an excellent beginning to learning more about Brazilian art.
