Earlier this spring, artist Julia Isídrez led a guided tour at São Paulo's Gomide & Co. gallery for a joint exhibition with Maria Lira. The show highlights two artists from different generations and mediums—Lira from Brazil (painting) and Isídrez from Paraguay (sculpture, featured in the 2024 Venice Biennale)—who both engage Indigenous and Afro-Indigenous traditions from a contemporary perspective. Gallerist Thiago Gomide rejects labels like 'folk' or 'popular,' insisting it is simply an art exhibition. The article profiles a network of Brazilian dealers, including Vilma Eid of Galeria Estação and Antonio Almeida of Almeida & Dale, who have worked to revive interest in arte popular, a category historically applied to self-taught, Indigenous, and Black artists.
This rediscovery matters because it coincides with a broader revision of Brazilian art history, elevating Black and Indigenous artists from curiosities to canonized contributors. Major institutions like the Pinacoteca de São Paulo and MASP have mounted solo shows for artistas populares since 2016, and international venues such as the Musée de Grenoble and the Royal Academy have also featured these artists. The shift reflects a global movement to address gaps in collections and recognize Latin American art, challenging long-standing hierarchies between 'popular' and 'contemporary' art.