From MASP, of which he has been director since 2014, to Venice: the Brazilian Adriano Pedrosa is the first Latin American called to lead the Biennale Arte. Well-known is his cycle of Stories on minorities and local realities for the Museum of San Paolo.
Adriano Pedrosa, a Brazilian born in Rio de Janeiro in 1965, has been the director of the São Paulo Art Museum – MASP since 2014. He has been chosen as the curator for the 60th Art Biennale, scheduled to take place from 20th April to 24th November 2024. Pedrosa’s selection marks the first time a Latin American will lead the Exhibition, a decision emphasized by Roberto Cicutto, the President of La Biennale, as a culmination of his experience gained through the work accomplished by Cecilia Alemani. Following Lesley Lokko, Pedrosa is the second curator directly appointed by President Roberto Cicutto. Like Lokko, Pedrosa shares a deep commitment to fostering the artistic environment of the Global South.
During his tenure at MASP, Pedrosa has demonstrated a commitment to highlighting artists from geographically disadvantaged regions, addressing the female perspective in art, and amplifying the voices of minorities and local communities. These elements, that have been evident in “The Milk of Dreams,” are a verifiable achievement within the cycle of ‘Stories’ proposed by Pedrosa at MASP.
There is also a sign of continuity with the previous Architecture Biennale when considering that the São Paulo Museum is the creation of Lina Bo Bardi, an Italian architect who later became a naturalized Brazilian. Bo Bardi was posthumously awarded a special Golden Lion in the 2021 edition, curated by Hashim Sarkis. This connection signifies a deliberate intention. Under Pedrosa’s direction, the Museum has reintroduced the original exhibition format of the Picture Gallery conceived by Bo Bardi, which involves displaying paintings inserted into glass plates set in concrete supports. It is a solution that liberates the artworks from the rigid confines of wall support, aligning with the architect’s vision to free them from the solemnity associated with traditional museums.
Adriano Pedrosa has previously served as the curator of the 12th Istanbul Biennale in 2011 and as co-curator of the São Paulo Pavilion at the 9th Shanghai Biennale in 2012. He was recently honored with the Audrey Irmas Award for Curatorial Excellence by the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College in New York.
