The MASP (São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand Art Museum) inaugurates this Friday (28.mar.2025) O, expanding its expository capacity by 66%. The expansion will allow the museum to display a larger portion of its collection of 10,000 pieces, which includes African, Americas, Asian, Brazilian and European art.
“There was a key moment, in 1968, 1969, which was the inauguration of the Lina Bo Bardi building. This is another milestone, a moment to look at our history and show it to the public.”said Adriano Pedrosa, artistic director of MASP, during the presentation of the facilities.
Named “five essays on Masp”, the inauguration project brings exhibitions that revisit the history of the institution and fill gaps in its collection. The “Masp Stories” show, located on the 6th floor, features a timeline with 429 items that document the museum’s trajectory since 1947.
On the 5th floor, the public can check out 13 Renoir works not displayed together for over two decades. For the show, architect Juliana Godoy created a reinterpretation of glass easels conceived by Lina Bo Bardi. “Lina’s device is rigorous, with black and glass. Our proposal is more playful”said Pedrosa. The curatorship is by Fernando Ribeiro.
The exhibition “Geometries”, curated by Pedrosa, Regina Teixeira de Barros and Matheus de Andrade, seeks to correct a historical absence in the MASP collection. “Geometric abstraction was not of great interest from Pietro Maria Bardi, our director for 45 years, from the foundation in 1947 until 1992”said Pedrosa. “We always recognize that we have huge gaps when thinking geometric abstraction, something so important to the history of Brazilian art of the 20th century, especially in the 1950s.”
Of the 67 works present at the show, 62 were acquired since 2015, and about 20 of them entered the collection this year alone. “We still have several gaps, but we have already been able to present a panorama. It is not a historical overview, we do not want to make the history of geometric abstraction,” said the curator.
The exhibition “Artes da Africa”, located on the 3rd floor, brings together 40 of the 90 pieces of the museum’s traditional African art collection. Curated by Leandro Nunes and Amanda Carneiro, the show includes statuettes, everyday objects and masks used at festivities, initiation rituals, celebration or funerals. The works come from 17 distinct cultures, most of West Africa, groups such as Guro, Senufo and Baulê, from the current Ivory Coast; Dogon and Bamana from Mali; Mossi and Bobo, from Burkina Faso; Bag, from Guinea; Axant, from ghana; Guere-Wobe, from Liberia; HEMBA, from Congo; Mumuye, Ibibio, Igbo and Yoruba, from Nigeria; In addition to an Angola Chokwe piece.
A poetic video intinlation about Lina Bo Bardi, created by British artist Isaac Julien, occupies the 2nd floor of the new building. Julien, known for his work with film, video and photography, created a work shown on 9 simultaneous screens lasting 39 minutes. In the installation, Fernanda Montenegro and Fernanda Torres play the writings of Lina Bo Bardi. “It’s a very special work, a poetic essay exhibition”said Pedrosa. The show is healed by Pedrosa and Matheus de Andrade.
The expansion of the MASP was made possible by donations by André Esteves (BTG Pactual), Abilio Diniz, Ronaldo Cezar Coelho (Opportunity), Carlos Jereissati (Iguatemi Group) and Roberto Thompson Motta, among others. The project also featured sponsorships from Akzonobel, Citi Brazil, Nubank, Bradesco, Stellantis and Itaú.
Investment and reception
The work, which cost about R $ 250 million, was fully funded by the private sector, via donations of more than 20 families. The building was appointed in honor of the husband of architect Lina Bo Bardi, Pietro Maria Bardi (1900-1999).
The new building has a restoration laboratory open to the public and space for free courses from MASP Escola. The construction of a 40m² underground passage interconnecting the two buildings is scheduled for the second half of 2025.
The architectural project, designed by Metro Arquitetos Associados, generated debates in the city due to its black monochrome structure, which contrasts with the original building of Paulista Avenue. “The Lina Bo Bardi building, when she opened, also caused strangeness. Today, it’s an icon of the city,” says Paulo Vicelli, director of experience and communication of the MASP.
SERVICE
Five essays on MASP –Inauguration of the Pietro Maria Bardi Building
- When: March 28, from 10am to 8:30 pm
- Where: Av. Paulista, 1510 – Bela Vista – São Paulo
- Telephone: (11) 3149-5959
- Schedules: Tuesdays for free, from 10am to 8pm (entry until 19h); Wednesday and Thursday from 10h to 18h (entrance until 17h); Friday from 10am to 9pm (free admission from 18h to 20h30); Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm (entrance to 5 pm); closed on Mondays. Mandatory online scheduling by link masp.org.br/ingressos
- Tickets: R $ 75 (entry); R $ 37 (half price)
