By Sarah Brown, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Houses are freshly painted, spaces have been repurposed to create new cultural spaces and artists have turned their studios into public exhibitions as Santa Teresa prepares itself for this year’s 26th edition of Arte de Portas Abertas. The event will take place over the weekend of October 8th and 9th with doors opening each day from 10AM until 6PM.
This year will present an opportunity for 58 visual arts in 31 studios and thirteen cultural spaces to present their works of art that capture a wide range of artistic talent and preferences as paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, fashion and folk art are mounted, laid out and propped up for the expected thousands of visitors to enjoy and buy.
In addition, various cultural spaces and museums throughout Santa Teresa and the city will be involved. Casa Amarela and Casa Benjamin Constant in Santa Teresa will have various exhibitions and talks from people within the art scene during the weekend. The Museu de Arte e Origens will present an exhibition from Flavio Papi, an important model maker that has contributed to the accomplishment of various architectural projects and large events throughout the country.
Running parallel to the event will be Arte Sobre a Mesa, a gastronomy show of arts with eleven houses participating with various dishes, each meal honoring a particular artist or artistic theme. The Espirito Santa Restaurante is one of the participants, paying tribute to plastic artist Marcos Chaves. The dish is a skewer of fish and prawns served with the artist’s favorite sauce; a creamy base of cashews and apples. This event will run alongside Arte de Portas Abertas and will continue until Sunday, October 16th.
The second edition of Primavera de Teresa will coincide with the other events, bringing theater, music, and circus performances at the Praça Odylo Costa. This will start the same day as Arte de Portas Abertas but will continue until Sunday, October 16th, running side by side with Arte Sobre a Mesa.
“The neighborhood has the opportunity to show to thousands of visitors its soul, its tradition of welcoming art since the beginning of the last century as a special vocation that is renewed”, explains Chave Mestre on their site. Chave Mestre, the Association of Visual Arts of Santa Teresa, is the non-profit organization that makes this event happen each year.
Among the studios open to visitors include the works of visual artist and children books illustrator, Ana Maria Motta; the sculptures of Marcius Tristão and Pedro Grapiuna; and the paintings of Regina Marconi and Sandra Fioretti.
Arte de Portas Abertas will take place this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, between 10AM and 6PM. The event Arte Sobre a Mesa will take place on the same weekend during the day with prices of food varying from venue to venue, yet the event will continue until October 16th.
What: Arte de Portas Abertas
When: Saturday, October 8th – Sunday, October 9th
Where: Santa Teresa
Entrance: FREE