As a symbol of resistance, the myth of “The Land of No Evil” – A terra sem mal, challenges the current political and social order. Coming from Guarani mythology, it refers to the myth of a land where there would be no hunger, disease or war. The search for a land without evil is considered one of the main instruments of resistance used by the Guarani people against the dominance of the Spanish and Portuguese colonizers. Taking into consideration the demarcation and domestication of land, the search for a land where freedom is recovered and natural cycles are respected calls for imagination and action.

In order to believe, we have first to imagine and create the possibility for a new ground. This exhibition presents two aspects of this myth: the utopia and the dystopia that follows the reality in Brazil. This group show brings together artists whose works are rooted in the mutually complementary ideas of deterritorialization and saudades (a word that poorly translates as a combination of nostalgia and intense longing), and challenges historical facts in order to reimagine future realities.

The group reflects a new wave of Brazilian artists, subverting and inventing through beautifully crafted artworks what Brazilian culture stands for. Considering the multicultural roots of Brazil, the artists in this exhibition consider the sensual and fantastic aspects of a world where new apocalyptic prophecies circulate with increasing intensity. A sense of humor and of poise is present throughout the exhibition, suggesting a network of global relationships contextualized by the aforementioned myths.
In difficult times, the search for solutions requires thinking and moving together. Galvanized by the search for The Land of No Evil, each artist will present a different perspective on the multifaceted, paradoxical and yet fascinating nature of contemporary Brazil.

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Curated by Stefanie Ferraz and Paula Turmina.