The Art in the Stations project celebrates Brazilian diversity through its artistic manifestations. It takes culture, history, and entertainment to different parts of the country through powerful exhibits and transformative educational actions.
The project decentralizes the traditional geographical axis of art exhibits in large capital cities, shedding light on relevant works by little-known artists, narratives, and different worldviews.
In its first edition, Art in the Stations shows three perspectives of the collection of Museu Internacional de Arte Naïf do Brasil – the largest in the world in its segment, created based on the private collection of Lucien Finkelstein. The original site of the institution closed its doors in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, leaving more than six thousand works without a home.
The selection comprises works by artists, mainly self-taught, of different genders, locations, ethnicities, and religions, who, for the most part, did not gain visibility in the field of visual arts.
Curated by Ulisses Carrilho, the exhibits Heartache, Between heaven and earth and By iron and fire are held in Paço da Misericórdia, in the town of Ouro Preto, in Museu de Congonhas, in the town of Congonhas, and in Centro Cultural Maria Andrade Resende – Museu Ferroviário, in the town of Conselheiro Lafaiete. These three exhibits will be held for six months each in these three towns.
The exhibits also feature a broad educational program that starts with a process of listening followed by dialogue and collective development with the participating audiences: the school community – teachers, students, and educators – people with disabilities, locals, and tourists visiting the towns.
The Art in the Stations project reveals the greatness of an art that has been often deemed minor, innocent, naive, but that is rich in expression, meaning, and techniques. Popular art is contemporary, and this reflection is the first chapter in this story.