The 13th edition of the Mercosul Biennial in Porto Alegre

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Porto Alegre, the capital of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, celebrated its year anniversary this year. With an estimated population of more than million inhabitants, it is one of the largest cities in Brazil and an important economic and cultural centre in the southern part of the country. This year, the big artistic event, the Mercosul Biennial, now in its th edition, has returned to Porto Alegre with a full celebration, in other words with the opportunity to see the various exhibitions in person. And it is no coincidence that the theme of this edition alludes to our experiences during the pandemic and to the strong desire spend time together again.

Elements that clearly emerge in part of the works created by artists from over countries, exhibited in different places in the city and that we can admire in the photos shared with us by the well-known Phone Number List photographer Ricardo Braescher, who lives and works in Porto Alegre. With a focus on the theme of Trauma, Dream and Escape, this Biennial offers visitors an immersive experience through all the senses and perceptions, thanks to the works exhibited at the Rio Grande do Sul-MARGS, the Memorial do Rio Grande do Sul, the Farol Santander Porto Alegre, the Cais do Porto, the Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana, the Fundação Iberê Camargo, the Instituto Ling, the Casa da Ospa (Fronteiras do Pensamento) and the Instituto Caldeira.



This edition also features a new urban art itinerary in the city centre area. The theme of this edition recognises traumas – both individual and collective – as the greatest driving force for art and sees dreams as an escape strategy. Thus, collective traumatic experience, as in the case of the Covid- pandemic, drives artistic creation into a new territory. As the curators write in the press release of the event: "The impact on the shared imaginary through the activation of the oneiric, of dreams and deliriums, opens doors to an escape from a condition imposed upon all of us." In this sense, one of the most interesting aspects of the th Mercosul Biennial is the objective to offer an experience of art and new technologies, emphasising the strong interaction between the various fields.