Right now, all over the world, museums and galleries are temporarily closed or operating by appointment only. The Coronavirus pandemic has changed the course of the art world, and the lives of its patrons, until further notice.
In Chicago, that is the case of Mariane Ibrahim, which last month opened an exhibition entitled “The Discovery of What it Means to Be Brazilian.” Since, the gallery has closed early due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Regardless of being able to view it in person or online, the show shines important light on the past and present colonial history of Brazil. Conceived by curator and artist Hélio Menezes, the show took its name from James Baldwin’s 1959 essay The discovery of what it means to be an American, reflecting the author’s views on identity traps, race, and how it’s necessary to be free of myths in order to discover one’s true self.
To learn more about this exhibition and the importance of rediscovering heritage, Whitewall caught up with Menezes.