Three Brazilian galleries of different generations now united, Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, Galeria Luisa Strina and Sé, present works by 36 artists, 32 represented by them and 4 guests, in the former cinema of Casa da Cultura, part of Fundação Herdade da Comporta.

«This exhibition materialises a desire we had, accelerated by the pandemic. The will to find new operating models, new ways of acting within the circuit», says Maria Ana Pimenta, the international director of Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel.

The exhibition O Canto do Bode has scenography by João Maria Gusmão, organized according to the structure of a play, divided into two acts. «The title is a reference to the Greek term tragoedia [tragos («goat») and oidé («song»)], celebrating the Brazilian tradition of sacralization of the profane and profanation of the sacred, deconstructing the dichotomy between the Dionysian and the Apollonian», claims the exhibition text.

The structure designed by João Maria Gusmão is a blind stage, in the centre of the venue, showing the backstage to the audience. The audience is invited to access the stage through the backstage.

On stage, we find one of the well-known Coca-Cola bottles from the series Inserções em circuitos ideológicos: Projeto Coca-Cola by Cildo Meireles, where we read Which is the place of the work of art? The painting O Brasil é a Minha Encruzilhada (Mil Povos) by Daniel Fagus Kairoz recreates the Brazilian flag using indigenous pigments. Its surface is torn at various points, as if pierced by arrows. This work is an example of the search for openings for understanding and the de-colonising practice of art, a trait of the artist’s work. We find two other sculptures by the invited artist Anderson Borba and the installation Presidente Selvagem by João Loureiro. All these works establish a dialogue with the pieces in the audience, in the backstage and in the surroundings of the old cinema.

The painting Três orelhas by Luiz Zerbini occupies the back of the audience and dialogues with Ampulheta by Jorge Queiroz, placed on the opposite wall, which establishes the backstage and draws the stage’s reverse by João Maria Gusmão. The Brazilian artist Panmela Castro, activist in the fight for human rights, especially women’s rights, presents two works: Renata Souza from the series Vigília, conceived during the pandemic, when the artist invited several people to her house, such as Renata de Souza, state deputy of Rio de Janeiro, to paint portraits of them, and Dani Deus – Jandira (Residência).

The painting in acrylic on fabric Sem Título, from the series Urihi Theri, by the Venezuelan artist Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, seeks to recover the ancestral oral traditions of the Yanomami tribe through symbols and colour, typical graphic elements in his work.

In Depois da Tempestade, Rivane Neuenschwander puts into the waters of the tropical rains maps of fires that occurred in the region of Minas Gerais. Through a subtractive process, she manages to remove some fragments of these maps and present new typologies.

Lucia Laguna, a Brazilian artist with a late start to her career, focuses on Rio de Janeiro, where she has her studio, taking an interest in dichotomies, urbanism and the exuberance of the city’s tropical vegetation, elements that can be seen in the painting Jardim n. 54, whose composition looks like a collage.

Part of a younger generation, Pedro Victor Brandão presents Forjada, digitally generated images of Portuguese silverware shipped to Brazil.

Finally, the suspended wicker and brass pieces by Leonor Antunes fill the exhibition venue and play a decisive role in the interaction between the various pieces.

In addition, at Casa da Cultura da Comporta, we can find works by Alexandre da Cunha, Ernesto Neto, Kim Lim, Manata Laudares, Tadáskia and Tonico Lemos Auad.

In the second act, to take place at the same venue from July 29, after the conclusion of the first, the stage will be turned towards the audience, as usually happens in these spaces. Works by artists such as Arnaldo de Melo, Dalton Paula, Edu Barros, Janaina Tschäpe, Marina Rheingantz, Rebecca Sharp, Robert Mapplethorpe, João Maria Gusmão, Mauro Restiffe, Juan Araujo, Erika Verzutti, Fernanda Gomes and Kim Lim will be shown.

Canto do Bode wants to establish dialogues and synergies between artists of different generations and careers, presenting new narratives. The two acts take place in July and August at Casa da Cultura, organised by Fundação Herdade da Comporta: the first is already taking place and ends on 25 July; the second takes place between 29 July and 29 August.