By Ciara Long, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Situated in the heart of Ipanema, Oi Futuro’s flagship cultural institute may be about to close. The institute, which serves as a museum and art gallery and routinely exhibits some of the most innovative Brazilian artists, was the first built by telecommunications provider Oi.
Just off the corner of Praça General Osório, Oi Futuro Ipanema first opened in 2009 and has hosted hundreds of local and national artists and interactive displays. It is one of two in the city, with Oi Futuro Flamengo open since 2005 and pre-dating its Ipanema sibling.
Yet according to local media, Oi Futuro Ipanema is preparing to close temporarily. Shows, displays and exhibitions scheduled to run in the institution were reportedly advised at the beginning of this month that projects would be transferred to other spaces.
However, the communications department of Oi Futuro denies that the Ipanema branch will definitively or permanently close. “It will close for works in April, and will be reinstated in August,” an Oi Futuro representative told local media. “The programmed activities for the remaining time will be relocated to other spaces, including Oi Futuro Flamengo.”
The telecommunications provider Oi has found itself with significant financial difficulties in recent months: the company filed for bankruptcy in June 2016, with debts of more than R$65 billion. Nonetheless, Oi’s cultural patronage remains strong, continuing to sponsor cultural events in Rio and with the Flamengo museum branch set to stay open.
On this week in Oi Futuro Ipanema is a special show by Julianna Sá, ‘Super Violão Mashup’, which examines the relationship between music and technology. Taking musical works from artists such as Gui Amabis, Iara Rennó, Lucas Santtana, Sá strips back songs to a guitar basis and invites music producers to reinvent them as live arrangements with electronic equipment.
Qinho and BadSista will join Sá tomorrow, Friday March 24th, at 9PM, while on Saturday 25th Arthur Nogueira and Jonas Sá will be present. Performances begin at 9PM and will be accompanied by a debate.
Tickets to the show cost R$30, with two further performances scheduled for March 31st and April 1st. Attendees can purchase tickets from Oi Futuro’s box office, on the Tuesday before each show.
Meanwhile Oi Futuro Flamengo is currently hosting a photographic exhibition from Roberto Capa and theatre piece ‘Tom na Fazenda’, as well as the display ‘Hiperlink’ on March 25th in anticipation of National Gay Pride Day, which will take place in June.