Art, Resistance, and Nature

Frans Post's 17th-century landscape idealizes colonial Brazil. He details native plants, fruits, and a boa constrictor, yet minimizes the harsh realities of forced labor and environmental exploitation hidden in the scene.

Luiz Zerbini re-centers history. A powerful indigenous woman leads the scene, while Amazonian elements like the pintado fish, boa constrictor, and embaúba leaves reclaim the narrative, pushing the colonial "first mass" to the margins.

Denilson Baniwa uses deforested Amazon satellite images to delineate a pajé's silhouette. This "Still Life 1" serves as a stark denunciation of environmental destruction and the ongoing genocide of indigenous peoples in the Amazon.

Joseca Yanomami's drawing reveals the forest through xapiri (shamanic spirits') eyes. They are seen actively cleaning the land from garimpeiro (gold digger) filth and pollution, offering a vibrant message of hope and resilience.

The Huni Kuin myth of the jaguar-bridge, depicted by Acelino Huni Kuin, narrates humanity's origins and separations. It reflects ancestral stories and vision-experiences deeply rooted in their natural world and rituals.

Dhiani Pa’saro's marquetry, "Sûophoka," celebrates Wanano culture. Its intricate patterns, inspired by animals like sandpipers and beetles, and staple foods like beiju, express a deep connection to the natural world and cosmovision.

Hélio Melo, a former rubber tapper, critiques political neglect and exploitation. His Amazonian landscape, painted with pigments from forest plants, exposes broken promises and the ongoing exploitation of the forest and its peoples.

Hulda Guzmán's "Come Dance" celebrates humanity's symbiotic bond with lush nature, urging reverence for its vital flows. Her vibrant depiction is a powerful call to protect our natural world amidst the imminent threat of destruction.

Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe's "Hena riye riye" uses leaf patterns to preserve graphic memory of forest life. This artistic testimony defends collective ancestral knowledge and traditions rooted in the natural world.

Thiago Honório's "Pau-Brasil" uses the native Brazilwood tree, an emblem of colonial extraction, piercing a book. It reminds us of the multiple violences of colonization—political, economic, cultural, and environmental.