about us
The Fundação Bienal de São Paulo is a vibrant institution that conceives and implements artistic, educational and social initiatives. In addition to producing the event that energizes the art world every two years, it holds activities all year round in a pavilion that is emblematic of Brazilian modernist architecture as well as inside and outside of Brazil. A cultural institution with no political or religious affiliations, the Fundação Bienal seeks to introduce new ideas, provoke debates and educate the eye of the public with an ever-renewing sense of restlessness, purpose and questioning.
Founded by businessman Francisco Matarazzo Sobrinho (also known as Ciccillo) on May 8, 1962, the institution also houses a historical archive on modern and contemporary art seen as a benchmark in Latin America. The aim of the institution is to democratize access to culture and stimulate interest in artistic creation. Activities include guided tours of the exhibitions, training sessions for teachers, in-person and distance courses, lectures and seminars.
The Fundação Bienal benefits from a set group of contributors who work collaboratively in order to ensure the quality of the projects and the development of sustainable initiatives aligned with the challenges of our time.
What we do
COMMITMENT TO THE VISUAL ARTS
EDUCATING THE PUBLIC
PRESERVATION OF MEMORY
DIALOGUE WITH FIELDS OF THOUGHT AND KNOWLEDGE
PROMOTING BRAZILIAN ART
PRODUCTION AND CIRCULATION OF CONTENT
AUTONOMY AND INDEPENDENCE
bienal
to bienal
There are many art exhibitions, fairs, museums of all types and a variety of festivals, but there is only one Bienal de São Paulo. The biggest exhibition in the southern hemisphere, the Bienal is driven by innovative facets of the contemporary art scene, drawing over 500,000 people at every edition. Each Bienal attracts the attention of the entire world, boosting the economy in the city of São Paulo and reaffirming the missions that guided its creation: dedication to the visual arts, education of the public and development of the Brazilian cultural scene.
Admission to the Bienal is free to the public throughout its three-month duration. In parallel to the exhibition, an intensive program of events is held, comprised of debates, seminars, performances and presentations, with activities designed for a variety of audiences. Much more than just an art exhibition, the Bienal is a catalyst for meetings, events and economic activity – the exhibition generates approximately R$ 300 million in business for the city, where it is the sixth largest event on the calendar in terms of visitors.
Beyond the Horizon
Fundação Bienal activities have an impact that extends well beyond the city and the nation. In the year following each Bienal de São Paulo, selections from the exhibition travel to different cities in Brazil and abroad thanks to partnerships established with museums, cultural institutions and public and private organizations in different regions in a traveling show. Presented to a variety of audiences, the exhibition takes on new meanings and perspectives, helping to fuel cultural debate.
The Fundação Bienal de São Paulo is also responsible for conceiving and producing the showcase of Brazilian art and architecture for each Venice Biennale, in a threefold collaborative effort by the Fundação Bienal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture. Since 1995, the mission of choosing the curators who, in turn, select the artists to represent the country at the event, has been handed by the Brazilian government to the institution, acknowledging its historical importance, as well as its prominent role in the contemporary cultural agenda.
Meet our team
TRUSTEES AND EXECUTIVE BOARD
Founder
Francisco Matarazzo Sobrinho · 1898–1977 · Chairman Emeritus
Executive Board
Julio Landmann · President
Alfredo Egydio Setubal · Vice President
Lifetime Members
Adolpho Leirner
Alex Periscinoto
Álvaro Augusto Vidigal
Beatriz Pimenta Camargo
Beno Suchodolski
Carlos Francisco Bandeira Lins
Cesar Giobbi
Elizabeth Machado
Jens Olesen
Marcos Arbaitman
Pedro Aranha Corrêa do Lago
Pedro Paulo de Sena Madureira
Roberto Muylaert
Rubens José Mattos Cunha Lima
Members
Alberto Emmanuel Whitaker
Ana Helena Godoy de Almeida Pires
Andrea Matarazzo (on leave)
Antonio Bias Bueno Guillon
Antonio Henrique Cunha Bueno
Cacilda Teixeira da Costa
Camila Appel
Carlos Alberto Frederico
Carlos Augusto Calil
Carlos Jereissati Filho
Claudio Thomas Lobo Sonder
Danilo Santos de Miranda
Daniela Villela
Eduardo Saron
Emanoel Alves de Araújo
Evelyn Ioschpe
Fábio Magalhães
Fersen Lamas Lambranho
Geyze Marchesi Diniz
Heitor Martins
Horácio Lafer Piva
Jackson Schneider
Jean-Marc Robert Nogueira Baptista Etlin
João Carlos de Figueiredo Ferraz
Joaquim de Arruda Falcão Neto
José Olympio da Veiga Pereira
Kelly Pinto de Amorim
Lorenzo Mammi
Lucio Gomes Machado
Luis Terepins
Marcelo Eduardo Martins
Marcelo Mattos Araujo
Marcelo Pereira Lopes de Medeiros
Maria Ignez Corrêa da Costa Barbosa
Marisa Moreira Salles
Miguel Wady Chaia
Neide Helena de Moraes
Paulo Sérgio Coutinho Galvão
Ronaldo Cezar Coelho
Sérgio Spinelli Silva Jr.
Susana Leirner Steinbruch
Tito Enrique da Silva Neto
Victor Pardini
Audit Board
Carlos Alberto Frederico
Carlos Francisco Bandeira Lins
Claudio Thomas Lobo Sonder
Pedro Aranha Corrêa do Lago
International Advisory Board
José Olympio da Veiga Pereira · President
Susana Leirner Steinbruch · Vice President
Barbara Sobel
Bill Ford
Catherine Petitgas
Debora Staley
Eduardo Costantini
Frances Reynolds
Kara Moore
Lonti Ebers
Mariana Clayton
Paula e Daniel Weiss
Renée e Robert Drake
Sarina Tang
Honorary Board
Alex Periscinoto
Edemar Cid Ferreira
Heitor Martins
Jorge Eduardo Stockler
Julio Landmann
Luis Terepins
Luiz Diederichsen Villares
Manoel Francisco Pires da Costa
Roberto Muylaert
Board of Directors
José Olympio da Veiga Pereira · President
Marcelo Mattos Araujo · Vice-President
Andrea Pinheiro
Ana Paula Martinez
Fernando Schuler
Lucas Melo
José Francisco Pinheiro Guimarães
Luiz Lara
Team
Luciana Guimarães
Dora Silveira Corrêa
Emilio Martos
Communication
Felipe Taboada · Manager
Adriano Campos
Ana Elisa de Carvalho Price
Caroline Carrion
Diana Dobránszky
Eduardo Lirani
Julia Bolliger Murari
Victor Bergmann
Institutional Relations and Partnerships
Mariana Montoro · Manager
Irina Cypel
Marina Scaramuzza
Raquel Silva
Viviane Teixeira
General Secretariat
Maria Rita Marinho · Manager
Carlos Roberto Rodrigues Rosa
Josefa Gomes
Bienal Archive
Ana Luiza de Oliveira Mattos · Manager
Ana Paula Andrade Marques
Melânie Vargas de Araujo
Pedro Ivo Trasferetti von Ah
Production
Felipe Isola · Planning and Logistics Manager
Joaquim Millan · Artwork Production and Exhibition Manager
Bianca Volpi
Dorinha Santos
Felipe Melo Franco
Graziela Carbonari
Manoel Borba
Heloisa Bedicks
Veridiana Simons
Waleria Dias
Educational Program
Claudia Vendramini · Manager
Anita Limulja
Bianca Casemiro
Elaine Fontana
Janaína Machado
Laura Barboza
Regiane Ishii
Cristina Fino · Editorial Coordinator
Thiago Gil · Research and Outreach Coordinator
Finance
Amarildo Firmino Gomes · Manager
Fábio Kato
Silvia Andrade Branco
Planning and Operations
Marcela Amaral · Manager
Danilo Alexandre Machado de Souza
Rone Amabile
Human Resources
Albert Cabral dos Santos
Angelica Bertoluci
Materials and Property
Valdomiro Rodrigues da Silva · Manager
Angélica de Oliveira Divino
Daniel Pereira
Larissa Di Ciero Ferradas
Vinícius Robson da Silva Araújo
Wagner Pereira de Andrade
Information Technology
Leandro Takegami · Manager
Diego Rodrigues
CICCILLO MATARAZZO PAVILION
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer and built between 1951 and 1954 in commemoration of the city's fourth centennial, the Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion is listed as a historical landmark (by the governmental organizations Conpresp, Condephaat and Iphan). The first time the Bienal was held at its present home was for the 4th edition (1957). Previously, the event was held in a temporary pavilion located on the Belvedere Trianon, in the neighborhood along Paulista Avenue, and also in the States Pavilion (presently the Pavilion of Brazilian Cultures) and the Nations Pavilion (now home to the Afro Brasil Museum). These buildings, as well as the Museu de Arte Contemporânea of the Universidade de São Paulo (MAC-USP), Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM-SP), the Lucas Nogueira Garcez Pavilion (Oca), the marquee and the Ibirapuera Auditorium are part of the architectural complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer for the Ibirapuera Park.
Ciccillo Matarazzo
Francisco Matarazzo Sobrinho (São Paulo, 1898-1977), nephew of Count Francisco Matarazzo, an Italian immigrant who built one of Brazil's largest industrial empires, became the sole proprietor of Matarazzo-Metalma in the 1930s. He married Yolanda Penteado in 1947. Ciccillo was involved in endeavours such as the Teatro Brasileiro de Comédia (TBC) [Brazilian Theater of Comedy], the Cinematográfica Vera Cruz [Vera Cruz Film Studios], and the Cinemateca Brasileira [Brazilian Film Library]. Ciccillo was also involved in the construction of Ibirapuera Park and was responsible for initiating Brazil's participation in the Venice Biennale. His major cultural project – the Museu de Arte Moderna of São Paulo (MAM-SP) [Museum of Modern Art] – was inaugurated in 1949. He created the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo in 1962, for which he remained in charge until 1975, two years before his death on April 16, 1977.
TRAVELING SHOW PROGRAM
The traveling show program featuring selected works from the Bienal de São Paulo is now in its 5th edition. The traveling shows from the 29th Bienal (2011), the 30th Bienal (2013), 31st Bienal (2015) and 32nd Bienal (2017) drew more than 1,5 million visitors. The traveling show, with selections of exhibited works from the 33rd Bienal, will visit seven cities in Brazil and one abroad throughout 2019.
VENICE BIENNALE
Since 1995, the mission of choosing the curators who, in turn, select the artists to represent the country at the event, has been handed by the Brazilian government to the institution, acknowledging its historical importance, as well as its prominent role in the contemporary cultural agenda. Since then, the institution has organized twelve Brazilian participations for the Art Biennale and nine to the Architecture Biennale, for a total of 28 artists and 57 architects/projects. The exhibitions are organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – which maintains the pavilion – the Ministry of Culture – through the National Arts Foundation (Funarte) – and the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo – which chooses the curator and organizes the exhibition.