THE AHWS AND THE BIENAISIn addition to all the research support given to the curatorial and production teams of the Bienais and to several artists during the creation of their works, since 2006 the Wanda Svevo Historical Archive has intensified its participation in the exhibitions through actions and partnerships geared specifically to the audience of the Bienais, with the objective of expanding access to its collection.
29th Bienal de São Paulo (2010)Capacete Project Library
The collection of catalogues that started with the installation of Biblioteca Bienais do Mundo [Biennials of the World Library], part of the 28th Bienal, was lent to Associação Capacete Entretenimentos, which developed a project of lectures and residencies in conjunction with the 29th Bienal. The books composed the Capacete Project Library, which functioned in Teatro Arena, where project lectures, residencies and events took place 1 May and the end of October, 2010.
To know more about the Capacete Project, click here.
To access the list of catalogues of the Biblioteca Bienais do Mundo, click here [LINK].
Sala de Leitura [Reading Room]
In partnership with the Educational Project of the 29th Bienal, the Archive has offered one more option for those who wish to deepen their studies of contemporary art, the history of the Bienal or artists who participated in this edition. The Sala de Leitura, located in the Archive, made books and catalogues available for consultation by any visitor to the exhibition. The Sala de Leitura offers a selection of over six hundred books and catalogues on and by such artists as Cildo Meireles, Gil Vicente, Hélio Oiticica, Nuno Ramos, Flávio de Carvalho, Daniel Senise, Anri Sala and Francis Alÿs among others. Book subjects included art education, art history, education and citizenship, semiotics, poetry and philosophy, in addition to catalogues for all previous editions of the Bienal and other Brazilian and international biennials. A part of the collection of the Sala de Leitura was donated by the publishing houses Cosac Naify and Martins Fontes, by professors, volunteers, organizations like Instituto Tomie Ohtake and the Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM-SP); the rest came from the collection of the Wanda Svevo Historical Archive.
In addition to receiving and orienting spontaneous visitors, the Archive completed several publicity initiatives, as well as promoting group visits guided by educators. Through this initiative, 210 people visited the AHWS.
Between 25 September and 12 December the Sala de Leitura received a total of 2,666 visitors.
Another AHWS activity in partnership with the Educational Project was the Carrinho de Leitura [Reading Cart], which circulated through the pavilion and attracted 467 readers during the exhibition.
Archive inclusions
The 29th Bienal leaves two documentary sets as additions to the Archive:
- Terreiro Longe Daqui, Aqui Mesmo [Far Away, Right Here]
The terreiro Longe Daqui, Aqui Mesmo was specially created by Marilá Dardot and Fabio Morais for the 29th Bienal. The two artists were invited to imagine a library for the exhibition and the result is a house-labyrinth under construction.
The artists proposed three collections for the library. One is based on the answers artists participating in the 29th Bienal gave to the question “With which book would you build your home?”; another was through an open invitation to artists to send in books; and, finally, a selection of contemporary literature made by the duo themselves. After the exhibition closed, the collection was donated to the Bienal de São Paulo Foundation Archive and will remain permanently available for public consultation.
Universidade de São Paulo (USP) Project: History of Educational Projects of the Bienais de São Paulo
Through the initiative of the Educational Project of the 29th Bienal, a partnership was made with the Escola de Comunicação e Artes (ECA-USP) doctoral program to have all research material on history of the educational projects of the Bienais conducted by PhD donated to the Archive. The research, coordinated by doctorate professor Maria Christina Rizzi (Licentiate coordinator in the Visual Arts and instructor on the Post-Graduate Program in the Visual Arts), adopted a method of oral history to recuperate the legacy of some projects while the students produced articles on others after researching in the Archive and other sources of information.
28th Bienal de São Paulo (2008)
With the aim of impressing upon the public of the 28th Bienal the importance and reach of biennial exhibitions realized around the world and aggregating specificity to the library of the Wanda Svevo Historical Archive, the curators undertook a campaign to collect catalogues of these events. As a result, 650 catalogues of international biennials and exhibits were incorporated into the Archive Library.
To the catalogues already available in the Archive were added the audiovisual registers of the happenings and lectures realized during the 28th Bienal and dossiers with news of other Bienais de São Paulo chosen by the exhibit curators. This collection was made available in a library set up and run by the Archive in the exhibition space, and attracted a total of13,389 visitors between 25 October and 6 December, 2008.
27th Bienal de São Paulo (2006)
Starting with an idea from the Educational Sector, the 27th Bienal was a pioneer in approximating the Archive with the public and the exhibition. During the event, a center for research about the Bienais was opened, called Sala dos Professores [Teachers’ Room], carrying specific documentation for professors and educators participating in the Educational Project. This action resulted in a visitation of approximately four hundred educators and professors.
In addition, the Archive itself and its modus operand were the object of investigation of the artist Mabe Bethônico, a participant in the 27th Bienal, in her work entitled museumuseum, which included guided tours of the Archive.