FORJAR CAMINOS: ANCESTRALIDAD AFROBRASILEÑA Y PODER FEMENINO EN LA OBRA DE NÁDIA TAQUARY
The exhibition "Ònà Irin: caminho de ferro" by artist Nádia Taquary has opened at Sesc Belenzinho in São Paulo, featuring large-scale sculptures and an immersive video installation. Curated by Amanda Bonan, Ayrson Heráclito, and Marcelo Campos, the show centers on a massive installation of iron rails that symbolize the Yoruba deity Ogum, the opener of paths. The works integrate traditional Afro-Brazilian materials such as cowrie shells, beads, and metals to explore spiritual protection and the historical significance of jewelry as a form of resistance and identity for enslaved and freed Black women.
This exhibition is significant for its deep dive into Afro-Brazilian cosmologies and the reclamation of ancestral power through a contemporary lens. By scaling up the intricate forms of traditional amulets like 'balangandãs' into monumental sculptures, Taquary elevates the history of Black female labor and spiritual agency into the realm of high art. The show emphasizes the 'Yabás' (female deities) and the concept of 'Oriki,' positioning feminine creative power as a central force in both mythic creation and modern survival.