Photography by Daniel Cabrel

Adriano Pedrosa

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, THE SÃO PAULO MUSEUM OF ART; CURATOR, THE 60TH VENICE BIENNALE

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?

Curious.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS YOUR BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION TO CULTURE?

Hopefully it will be the Biennale Arte 2024 in Venice this year.

WHAT IS YOUR CALLING CARD?

I am a museum director and curator working with modern and contemporary art with a focus on Brazil, where I am based, and the Global South.

““I am always surprised by extraordinary encounters with art and artists.””

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SURPRISED YOURSELF IN YOUR WORK? I am always surprised by extraordinary encounters with art and artists. The past year was especially fruitful with encounters with Claudia Alarcón from Argentina, Rosa Elena Curruchich from Guatemala, the Bordado Colectivo in Chile, Sangódáre Gbádégesin Ajála from Nigeria, Nedda Guidi from Italy, Samia Halaby from Palestine, Julia Isídrez from Paraguay, the Mataaho Collective from Aotearoa (New Zealand), and others.

WHAT’S ONE BOOK, WORK OF ART, ALBUM, OR FILM THAT GOT YOU THROUGH AN IMPORTANT MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE?

Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities and Jorge Luis Borges’s Ficciones were extraordinary revelations for me when I read them as a young adult. They are still very important to me.

WHAT’S COMING UP FOR YOU IN 2024?

The Biennale Arte 2024 in Venice, and a full year devoted to “Queer Histories” at Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand.

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