Review
Rotas Brasileiras 2023

In its second edition, Rotas Brasileiras, promoted by SP–Arte, has established itself as a cultural event dedicated to the appreciation and dissemination of art from all over the country. The fair, which took place from August 30th to September 3rd, welcomed 15,000 visitors, including opinion makers, art enthusiasts, art professionals, collectors, and national and international curators.

At ARCA in São Paulo, the audience had the opportunity to admire works by approximately 300 artists featured in 70 curated projects that celebrated the richness and diversity of Brazilian art. According to Fernanda Feitosa, the founder and director of the fair, “Rotas Brasileiras consolidates a much-needed movement to promote Brazilian art in all its forms and from all geographic and cultural backgrounds. The fair celebrates this diversity and fosters exchanges among artists, galleries, curators, and collectors, creating new opportunities for everyone. It’s important to note that this scene also attracts international attention. In this edition, we welcomed representatives from around 40 international museums and institutions.”

Among the international figures who attended Rotas Brasileiras were Clara Kim, Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs at MOCA Los Angeles; Vivian Crockett, curator at the New Museum and co-curator of the 2026 New Museum Triennial; Matilde Guidelli-Guidi, Assistant Curator at the Dia Art Foundation; Guadalupe Requena, Institutional Director of Fundación Malba; David and Nancy Frej, collectors from Chicago; Jennifer Inacio, Associate Curator at the Pérez Art Museum, Miami; and Tatiana Cuevas, curator and director of the Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil (MACG) in Mexico City, who also participated in the Talks program alongside artist Erika Verzutti (Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel).

The galleries that participated in this edition celebrated strong sales and exposure in the market. Marco Zero from Recife, which exhibited a selection of works and artists paying homage to the Armorial Movement, sold 80% of what they brought to the event. Marcelle Farias, a partner-director, said, “This fair was very good for us; we had a great reception and ended on a high note. An important aspect is that we sold to significant collections and made many international contacts with curators from important institutions.”

Asfalto from Rio de Janeiro finished this edition extremely satisfied with the results. Larissa Amorim, a gallery partner, stated, “On the first day, we almost sold everything except for one piece. We rearranged the booth and sold almost everything again. We also received important visits, including museum directors.” Nicolas Dantas, a partner at Asfalto, added, “We sold several works that were not in the booth, totaling, as of now (Saturday, September 2nd), R$ 200,000. We made many negotiations since the preview, and the reputation of the fair had a positive impact on that.”

Mitre from Belo Horizonte brought works by Luana Vitra, an artist featured in the 35th São Paulo Biennial, and sold around R$ 400,000. Carmo Johnson, known for presenting works by indigenous artists like the Mahku collective, was also successful. Luan Lima, the gallery’s assistant director, said, “The balance is positive. We sold 50% of what we brought, and we made important contacts, so the post-fair period should be good too.”

Karla Osório, the founder of the eponymous gallery in Brasília, noted that the fair’s theme contributed to the positive results. She stated, “This fair had a good level of attendance, good timing. It was an event that highlighted Brazilian artists to an audience composed of many foreigners, which greatly contributed to overall receptivity. We sold very well, including to new and international clients.”

Millan, which in this edition brought a selection of works and artists addressing themes related to nature, climate change, and environmental preservation, like José Bento, Daiara Tukano and Henrique Oliveira, also approved of the results. Maxwell Alexandre, a Rio de Janeiro artist recently announced as represented by the gallery, was present at the booth with works from the Novo Poder series, a set of works he produced for his solo exhibition at Casa SP–Arte, running until October 7th, 2023. According to Socorro de Andrade Lima, in charge of the gallery, the evaluation was positive both in terms of sales and generated contacts.

First-time participants, like the Goiano project Sertão Negro, were also delighted. William Maia, a member of the collective, said, “The fair was great in several ways, especially for us, first-time participating artists. Regarding contacts and sales, we exceeded our expectations; we established relationships with more people than we anticipated.”

Paulo Darzé, from the eponymous gallery in Salvador, which brought a dialogue between Ayrson Heráclito, selected for the 35th Biennial, and Nádia Taquary, celebrated the strong results. “We are very happy with our participation in the fair; it couldn’t have been better! We sold very well, and the audience was of high quality.” Renan Quevedo, from the Novos Para Nós project, commented, “People wanted to know the stories of the works, the artists, and their journeys. We noticed that they are increasingly interested in popular culture and Brazilian identity.” Quevedo sold over 60% of what he brought to the edition, with works going to important collections and new collectors.

Superfície, which presented a selection of works by José Leonilson, León Ferrari, and works by young artists like Gê Viana, Andréa Hygino, and Marina Camargo, found the results to be positive. Gustavo Nóbrega, the gallery’s owner, said, “We are happy to have participated; we had good sales and made good contacts. We brought together important artists from the secondary market, focusing on concretism, conceptual political art, and young artists. We increased the chance of sales, in addition to featuring artists from all over the country, including representatives from Rio Grande do Sul, Paraíba, Rio de Janeiro, Maranhão, and São Paulo. We sold works ranging from R$ 20,000 to R$ 200,000.” Rodrigo Ratton, who leads the gallery bearing his name, also celebrated, stating, “My assessment of this edition of Rotas Brasileiras is excellent. It’s the best fair I’ve ever participated in, and I sold the most.”

In 2024, SP–Arte returns to celebrate its 20th edition from April 3rd to 7th at the Bienal Pavilion.