Outstanding success of the fourth edition of SP-Arte Rotas with Latin American expansion

SP-Arte Rotas celebrates its fourth edition with Latin American expansion and impressive results for participating galleries

The event brought together 65 curated projects from 12 Brazilian states, as well as exhibitors from Argentina and the Peruvian Amazon.

September 2025 — SP-Arte Rotas concluded its fourth edition with a positive outcome, reaffirming its role as one of the country's leading platforms for the artistic circulation of ideas and artworks. Held from August 27th to 31st at ARCA in São Paulo, the fair welcomed 65 exhibitors—including galleries, museums, and special projects—from 12 Brazilian states, as well as representatives from Argentina and the Peruvian Amazon.

The public had access to works by over 200 artists who explored themes such as eroticism, territory, and environmental issues in a variety of media—painting, sculpture, ceramics, and textiles. The fair reinforced its character as a space for discovery, connection, and exchange.

For Fernanda Feitosa, founder and director of SP-Arte and SP-Arte Rotas: "Rotas has strengthened its position as a much-needed movement to promote Brazilian art, and more broadly, Latin American art, across its geographic and cultural dimensions. The fair celebrates this diversity and promotes exchanges between artists, galleries, curators, and collectors, creating opportunities for everyone, with national and international audiences captivated by what they find in the fair's corridors."

Internationalization was one of the highlights of this edition, with the presence of prominent curators, critics, and collectors from outside Brazil, more than doubling the number of foreign guests compared to the previous year. Among them were: Lucas Morin (Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai); Vivian Crockett (New Museum, New York); Larry Ossei-Mensah (Artnoir); and Jennifer Inacio (Pérez Art Museum, Miami). Collector David Teplitzky and Will Palley, host of the podcast Art From the Outside, also returned to the fair for the second consecutive year. The international presence reinforced the fair's strategic role in opening new dialogues between the Brazilian art scene and global institutions.

Galleries Celebrate Good Results

Participants in this fourth edition highlighted the quality of the fair's attendance and sales performance. Mitre, from Minas Gerais, which recently opened a location in São Paulo, reported a positive outcome: "I've noticed not only an increase in attendance, but also a greater understanding among galleries about how and what projects to bring to the fair. I really liked the name change and the expansion into Latin America. We were able to showcase some artists that many people in São Paulo weren't familiar with, like Benedikt Wiertz. We brought some works by Luana Vitra that were in international museums, such as the Sculpture Center, and showcased the program as a whole. For us, the result was extremely positive. The gallery sold practically all the artists it brought," says owner Rodrigo Mitre.

Salvador's Paulo Darzé gallery presented projects by Goya Lopes, Nádia Taquary, and a solo show by ceramist Almir Lemos. The results exceeded expectations, according to director Thais Darzé: "We always do well at Rotas. And this year, in terms of results, was the best. At Almir's solo show, we sold 100% of the works on display, plus a few that were in Salvador. We can say we had a 120% turnaround. At the booth with works by Lopes and Taquary, we sold most of the works we exhibited. The result is very satisfactory." The gallery owner also emphasized that the event opens new avenues and brings in new clients.

For Leonardo Leal, owner of the gallery of the same name, the fair is his favorite on the calendar: "This year's performance was a pleasant surprise, and I continue to believe in it. We sold over 40 works, had others reserved, and some negotiations were postponed until after the event. Next year, we'll have another great fair."

Mendes Wood DM, from São Paulo, who debuted at SP-Arte Rotas, also celebrated: "We were very happy with our first participation. The fair is very enjoyable. We can say that, overall, it was a success. We were able to sell works by all the artists involved in the project, including the large-scale centerpiece by Solange Pessoa," said Arnon Lintz, sales director. The gallery owner also highlighted Rodrigo Moura's curation of the Mirante section, which made the experience even more dynamic.

According to Fabio Frayha, partner at Gomide&Co: "We were once again very pleased to participate in the fair. It has a very interesting format, and the quality of the booths reflects this curatorial care. Commercially, we did very well, selling a good portion of our selection of works."

Programming

The SP-Arte Stage hosted dialogues between artists, curators, and experts from August 28th to 30th, prioritizing direct interaction with the audience, without broadcast or recording. Highlights included Rebeca Carapiá's conversation with Deri Andrade; the debate "Beyond Vision," with Vivian Caccuri and Karola Braga; and the panel "Reunion with Otto Stupakoff," with Bob Wolfenson and Rubens Fernandes.

The international agenda included the panel "Latin American Art in a Global Context," with Vivian Crockett, Eugenio Viola, Larry Ossei-Mensah, and Margot Norton. There were also discussions on the internationalization of Brazilian art, led by Tiago Mestre and Edu Silva, and reflections on the creation of the Vassouras Museum. Artists such as Rodrigo Moura, Paloma Bosquê, Patricia Leite, Ana Prata, Edmar Pinto Costa, Alexandre Martins Fontes, Lucas Albuquerque, and Fernão Cruz participated in meetings that covered everything from the power of folk art to contemporary experimentation.

Vivo, the master sponsor of SP-Rotas, presented the installation "Nheengatu," an invitation to listen to the voices of the forest, curated by Denilson Baniwa. The booth displayed radio poles that, in Indigenous or peripheral communities, keep the population informed with important news. At the fair, the sounds were of the forest: rivers, birds, and wind, as well as warnings about climate issues. The program also included mediated conversations between Karol Desirée and guests Daniel Munduruku, Jonaya de Castro, Nele Azevedo, Eduardo Srur, Tainá Marajoara, and Baniwa himself.

"The reception was incredible, and people remained in the lounge for a long time, engaging in dialogue and interacting with the guests. Through this project, SP-Arte Rotas offered the public a strong connection between identity perspectives and environmental issues through the lens of art," commented Mirtes Oliveira, curator of the dialogues held at the Vivo space.

Under new artistic direction in 2026

For the next edition, which will take place from August 26 to 30, 2026, SP-Arte Rotas will have Brazilian curator, writer, and researcher Bernardo Mosqueira as artistic director. His mission will be to continue consolidating the event, which highlights Brazilian art, while also working to blur boundaries with other Latin American countries. Mosqueira succeeds Rodrigo Moura, who led the last two editions and, in 2024, took over as chief curator of the Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires (Malba).

Living between Rio de Janeiro and New York, Mosqueira has been the founder and artistic director of Solar dos Abacaxis in Rio de Janeiro since 2015. He was chief curator of the Institute for Studies on Latin American Art (ISLAA) in New York (2023–25) and was a member of the curatorial team at the New Museum (2021–23).

Internationally recognized, he received the 2025 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Curatorial Work and, in 2017, the Lorenzo Bonaldi Prize for Art from GAMeC in Bergamo, Italy. In 2023, Cultured magazine recognized him as one of six "visionary curators" on its annual Young Curators list. He holds a master's degree in curatorial studies from the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College (CCS Bard).

Author:
Victor Benevides

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