The Palácio das Artes will host, starting October 2, the traveling exhibition of the 36th Bienal de São Paulo – Not All Travellers Walk Roads – Of Humanity as Practice. On view through December 6, the exhibition is the result of a partnership between Fundação Bienal de São Paulo and Fundação Clóvis Salgado. It is curated by Alya Sebti, co-curator of the 36th Bienal, and Leonardo Matsuhei, deputy co-curator of the edition. The exhibition features 21 participants, making it one of the largest selections among all the Brazilian stops on this edition of the traveling exhibition program. This exhibition is supported by Lhoist.
The presentation in Belo Horizonte marks the eighth consecutive time that Palácio das Artes has hosted the Bienal de São Paul since the traveling exhibition program began in 2011, during the 29th edition, making it one of the program’s longest-standing partnerships.
The Belo Horizonte presentation brings together works by Adjani Okpu-Egbe; Alain Padeau; Antonio Társis; Emeka Ogboh; Forensic Architecture / Forensis; Gervane de Paula; Julianknxx; Leiko Ikemura; Leo Asemota; Lidia Lisbôa; Manauara Clandestina; Maria Auxiliadora; Michele Ciacciofera; Ming Smith; Myriam Omar Awadi; Nádia Taquary; Raukura Turei; Raven Chacon, Iggor Cavalera and Laima Leyton, in collaboration with members of the Etenhiritipa Xavante community; Rebeca Carapiá; Ruth Ige; and Sertão Negro.
Among the participants is Maria Auxiliadora, a self-taught painter and one of the leading figures in 20th-century Afro-Brazilian art, known for works depicting scenes of Black urban life and religions such as Candomblé and Umbanda; Itoma’a dure itoma’a [Circles/cycles within circles/cycles] (2025), a sound installation by Raven Chacon, Iggor Cavalera and Laima Leyton, created in collaboration with the Etenhiritipa Xavante community; as well as series by photographer Ming Smith, a pioneer of the Black Arts movement in the 1970s.
“The selection presented at Palácio das Artes is centered on works that question what constitutes us as beings in relation to territory, memory, those who came before us, and those who will come after us. Artists such as Gervane de Paula, Ming Smith, Maria Auxiliadora, and Nádia Taquary, among others, bring layers of time and resistance that resonate in a particular way in a city like this,” reflects Alya Sebti, curator of this traveling exhibition.
For Andrea Pinheiro, president of Fundação Bienal de São Paulo, “Minas Gerais holds a special place in the Bienal’s traveling history. Our partnership with Fundação Clóvis Salgado has lasted for fifteen years and is renewed with each edition, sustained by the strength of the public in Minas Gerais. Reaching Belo Horizonte for the eighth consecutive time is a celebration of this shared history.”
“We are pleased to welcome the traveling exhibition of the Bienal de São Paulo once again, one of the most important contemporary art events in the world. For Palácio das Artes—which has been part of the initiative since its beginning and celebrates its 55th anniversary in 2026—hosting works by these 21 artists, in the largest national presentation of this edition, is a testament to the recognition of this space as a reference for artistic education, engagement, and renewal. On behalf of Fundação Clóvis Salgado, I congratulate Alya Sebti and Leonardo Matsuhei on their curatorial work and commend the artists for their aesthetic boldness and expressive power, two of whom are from Minas Gerais—Maria Auxiliadora and Iggor Cavalera. To paraphrase Conceição Evaristo, may our partnership with Fundação Bienal de São Paulo continue to grow stronger in the submerged worlds that only the poetry of art can penetrate,” reflects Yuri Mello Mesquita, president of Fundação Clóvis Salgado.
The 36th Bienal exhibition has been traveling across Brazil and internationally throughout 2026, with selections from the main exhibition already presented in Goiânia, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, Brasília, Santos, Fortaleza, Santiago, Chile, Recife, São José do Rio Preto, Salvador, Berlin, Germany, and Belém, with upcoming openings in Vitória and, for its final international stop, Mexico City.
In addition to the circulation of artworks, the traveling exhibition program is structured around a cross-cutting educational program, including training for local teams, online and in-person meetings, educational support, and activities for different audiences, such as guided tours, talks, teacher workshops, and educational activities for students.
Accessibility and inclusion
To expand access to the 36th Bienal de São Paulo, Fundação Bienal de São Paulo has expanded its audioguide program for the traveling exhibitions. The exhibition features audio content dedicated to Antonio Társis, Gervane de Paula, Julianknxx, Lidia Lisbôa, and Manauara Clandestina, accompanied by Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) videos. Plain Language texts are also available on Adjani Okpu-Egbe, Antonio Társis, Emeka Ogboh, Forensic Architecture / Forensis, Lidia Lisbôa, Maria Auxiliadora, Michele Ciacciofera, Nádia Taquary, and Sertão Negro, as well as explanatory content about the title of the 36th Bienal, its conceptual team, curatorial proposal, visual identity, and architecture. At the entrance, visitors will also find a Plain Language visitor guide, with large print and a Braille version. The Bienal Prática web app is also available for the artists indicated in the exhibition signage.
Another way to explore the exhibition is through the Bloomberg Connects app, which provides additional information about all the participants and suggested routes through the exhibition. To access content related to each artwork, simply open the app and enter the number shown on the label next to it.
Service
36th Bienal de São Paulo – Not All Travellers Walk Roads – Of Humanity as Practice
chief curator: Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung
co-curators: Alya Sebti, Anna Roberta Goetz, Thiago de Paula Souza
co-curator at large: Keyna Eleison
strategy and communications advisor: Henriette Gallus
deputy co-curators: André Pitol, Leonardo Matsuhei
Belo Horizonte traveling exhibition – Palácio das Artes – Fundação Clóvis Salgado
curator: Alya Sebti
co-curator: Leonardo Matsuhei
exhibition design: Gisele de Paula
opening: Oct 2, 2026, Fri, 6 – 10 pm
opening hours: Oct 3 – Dec 6, 2026
Tue – Sat, 9:30 am – 9 pm
Sun, 5 – 9 pm
Palácio das Artes – Fundação Clóvis Salgado
Av. Afonso Pena, 1537, Centro
Belo Horizonte, MG
free admission