A Gentil Carioca, one of Brazil's most significant contemporary art galleries, is celebrating 20 years of activity. With a strong national and international presence, the gallery embodies the "carioca" spirit. To mark the occasion, the major group exhibition "Forrobodó"—curated by Ulisses Carrilho—will open on September 9, celebrating the political, poetic, aesthetic, and erotic potential of the streets. The exhibition will occupy the two 1920s townhouses that house the gallery’s Rio headquarters, featuring works by approximately 60 artists, including Adriana Varejão, Anna Bella Geiger, Antonio Dias, Antonio Manuel, Cildo Meireles, Hélio Oiticica, Lenora de Barros, and Denilson Baniwa, among others, all of whom have maintained a relationship with the gallery in various ways.
A pioneer in many respects, A Gentil Carioca has made history over the years as the only Brazilian gallery founded by visual artists—Márcio Botner, Ernesto Neto, and Laura Lima. Furthermore, the gallery, which now includes Elsa Ravazzolo Botner as a partner, is located outside the traditional gallery circuit in Saara, the city's largest popular commerce center. With a distinct and inclusive program, it has also maintained a space in São Paulo for the past two years.
“A Gentil was born with a mix of influences to capture and disseminate the diversity of art in Brazil and the world. Our primary goal is to be a place for thinking, producing, experimenting, and celebrating art. Our locations serve as hubs for concentrating and broadcasting the voices of different artists and ideas,” state partners Márcio Botner, Ernesto Neto, Laura Lima, and Elsa Ravazzolo Botner.
