First we explored Portugal, then we took a well deserved art break in the best galleries of Milan. That means that Gallery Guide São Paulo is our first Atlantic expedition and that we have a fresh breeze on our report of what galleries to see in which city. For our readers, always expecting locally sourced information for the most accurate guide, we have the pleasure to let you in on the secret that we worked with Bruno Bogarim to know every detail that is worth sharing. Welcome to our Gallery Guide São Paulo. 

GALERIA RAQUEL ARNAUD

Galeria Raquel Arnaud was founded in 1973 and is an important part of the development and consolidation of contemporary art in the Brazilian market. While it was still named Gabinete de Arte (easily translated to Art Cabinet), it hopped through several spaces by established architects like Lina Bo Bardi, Ruy Ohtake and Felipe Crescenti. It’s focus on geometric abstraction and the emphasis on investigation granted this gallery a special place in São Paulo's art scene. That’s why it is present in fairs like FIAC, Art Basel Miami Beach and The Armory Show with artists like Jorge Molder and Waltercio Caldas. And it even publishes books and helps to organize intuitional exhibitions of the artists that it represents. 

Address: Rua Fidalga 125 - Website: www.raquelarnaud.com

KUNSTHALLE SÃO PAULO

Kunsthalle São Paulo was founded in 2012 with a very clear task in mind, to present young international artists to São Paulo’s art scene. And that is why it doesn’t represent artists or take place in art fairs, but chooses to exhibit international artists such as Guillaume Pilet and Nuno Sousa Vieira. With a project space called “vitrine”, artists and curators can propose exhibitions for the gallery’s street window display. And with ideas such as this, Kunsthalle São Paulo is definitely giving a space to young artists.

Address: Rua dos Pinheiros 411 - Website: www.kunsthallesaopaulo.com

GALERIA LUISA STRINA

Galeria Luisa Strina was created in 1974 and has presented some blockbuster exhibitions in São Paulo by now. After all, it’s the oldest contemporary art gallery in the city, mixed with the path of Luisa Strina herself. She began as an art merchant for friends and artists, but when she opened with Lichtenstein, Warhol and Jim Dine in her first year, the gallery was destined for success.
In 1992 it became the first Latin-American gallery to participate in the Art Basel and even while being present in Fieze, SP Arte and Arco, she still presents a mixture of established and young artists. And we cheer Luisa Strina for that and much more.

Address: Rua Padre João Manuel 455 - Website: www.galerialuisastrina.com.br

MENDES WOOD DM

Mendes Wood DM is celebrating its fifth anniversary. Created in 2010 by partners Pedro Mendes, Matthew Wood and Felipe Dmab with the proposal of exhibiting international and brazilian artists speaking a contemporary dialogue. The gallery's program is centered in a regional diversity, while always promoting the cosmopolitan and the collaborative. Inspired by the idea that art can change the world, they are presenting artists like Francesca Woodman and Adriano Costa, taking their choices to Art Basel, Miami and Hong Kong, but also Frieze and FIAC. 

Address: Rua da Consolação 3358 - Website: www.mendeswooddm.com

GALERIA JAQUELINE MARTINS

Galeria Jaqueline Martins was founded in 2011 and quickly becoming a space for research, documentation and presentation of artistic production. The gallery proposes collaborative and innovative curatiorial strategies that foster dialogue between generations and perspectives. And few galleries nowadays can be proud of encouraging research-orieted conceptual approaches. Its Glory Hole project allows guest curators to materialize exhibitions in unique a scale and space. Representing artists such as André Parente and Edwin Sanchez, Galeria Jaqueline Martins also participates in art fairs like SP Arte, Frieze and Arco Madrid.

Address: Rua Dr. Virgílio de Carvalho Pinto 74 - Website: www.galeriajaquelinemartins.com.br

BARÓ GALERIA

Baró Galeria is about to open a second space in São Paulo and it only took five years to open its doors and to become a reference in the Brazilian and international art circuit. With Maria Baró on the director’s role, the gallery is located in a warehouse so big that calling it hangar would be more accurate. The new space goes from Santa Cecília to Rua da Consolação, a intimate space near the gardens. Presenting work from Daniel Arsham to Eduardo Stupia, its priority are site-specific projects. While participating in Miami Beach Art Basel, Arco Madrid and Zona Maco in Mexico, it also has an artist residency program for young artists. 

Address: Rua da Barra Funda 216 and Rua da Consolação 3417 - Website: www.barogaleria.com

WHITE CUBE SÃO PAULO

Legendary art dealer Jay Jopling opened the first White Cube in London in 1993 and championed artists like Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin. It’s recent history, but it’s historic. He has recently taken up the young Christian Rosa and also recently, in 2011, opened White Cube São Paulo. It is present in every major art fair such as Art Basel, Frieze London, Fiac Paris, SP Arte and Art Rio. The gallery is housed in a converted warehouse that was designed by London based Maybank and Matthews Architects with São Paulo based Estudio Gru. It’s almost three hundred square meters of exhibition space in the city centre. 

Address: Rua Agostinho Rodrigues Filho 550 - Website: www.whitecube.com

LUCIANA BRITO GALERIA

Luciana Brito is present in São Paulo since 1997. In this time frame – almost twenty years – it produced some top notch exhibitions with artists like Geraldo de Barros, Alex Katz and also Marina Abramovic. With a ongoing presence in various art fairs like Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach, The Armory Show, Arco, ArtBO and Fiac, it has created a unique name for itself. And the gallery plays an important two way role, both disseminating Brazilian art worldwide and promoting work from relevant international artists locally. And that is a duality that Aujourd’hui certainly approves.

Address: Rua Gomes Carvalho 842 - Website: www.lucianabritogaleria.com.br

BLAU PROJECTS

Juliana Blau wanted to create discussion and dialogue on a series of techniques and motifs, so Balu Projects was created in 2013 to become a free zone for experimentation. With a special focus on the international panorama, this gallery is creating partnerships, promoting interchanges and participating in art fairs. In addition to its regular program, the gallery has created C.LAB to to encourage and stimulate reflection and debate on contemporary art. It has already shown artists like Bruno Drolshagen and Éder Oliveira. 

Address: Rua Fradique Coutinho 1464 - Website: www.blauprojects.com

GALERIA FORTES VILAÇA

Galeria Fortes Vilaça was created in 2001 under the direction of Márcia Fortes, Alessandra d’Aloia and Alexandre Gabriel. It’s dynamic program presents young and established artists, often mixing them in ambitious exhibitions. Guest curatorships are also frequent and these collaborations often spread to publications and talks. It represents artists such as Adriana Varejão and Os Gemeos and it's present in art fairs like numerous Frieze and Basel editions, but also SP Arte and Art Rio.

Address: Rua James Holland 71 - Website: www.fortesvilaca.com.br 

CASA TRIÂNGULO

Casa Triângulo was the first gallery to open in Brazil with a full dedication to young and promising artists. That was in 1988. After 26 years, the gallery keeps going strong as a platform for young artists, but also invests long-term in the career of the artists who have committed and stayed with them for over twenty years now. They have also show artists like Joana Vasconcelos and Nunca. Art Basel, Arco, Frieze and SP Arte are some of the international art fairs in which Casa Triângulo is present. 

Address: Rua Pais de Araújo 77 - Website: www.casatriangulo.com

GALERIA LEME

Galeria Leme started in 2004 and has artists such as Nina Pandolfo and João Pedro Vale in its roster. The gallery’s concrete building was built by Paulo Mendes da Rocha, a Pritzker winner. And 2012 brought a new life to the gallery, debuting a new building – once again drawn by Paulo Mendes da Rocha – and presenting SITU, a site-specific program for the outside of its galleries where art and arquitecture come together. It regularly participates in art fairs such as Art Basel Miami Beach, SP Arte and Art Brussels. 

Address: Av. Valdemar Ferreira 130 - Website: www.galerialeme.com

GALERIA VERMELHO

Galeria Vermelho is an initiative by Eliana Finkelstein and Eduardo Brandão. It opened in 2002 after intensive remodeling of three small houses in Vila #350. Paulo Mendes da Rocha was one of the arquitects. He also worked in the 2007 enlargement when a garden was added to the space. It has presented artists like Rafael Assef and João Loureiro and it participates in Art Basel Miami Beach, Frize and Arco. Another project that Vermelho has been developing since 2005 is the annual show of performance art Verbo, which after ten editions has secured its slot on the calendar of cultural events in São Paulo.

Address: Rua Minas Gerais 350 - Website: www.galeriavermelho.com.br

Contribution by Bruno Bogarim.

See also: Gallery Guide Lisboa - Gallery Guide Porto - Gallery Guide Milano
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