Thursday night (5) marked the official opening of the 42nd edition of Arte Pará, one of the largest and most traditional visual arts events in the Amazon.
Hosted at the historic Museu do Estado do Pará (MEP), in the Cidade Velha neighborhood, in Belém, this year's exhibition takes on an even more festive tone as it forms part of the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the newspaper O Liberal. The exhibition is free to enter and remains open to the public until January 30, 2027.
The event, held by the Romulo Maiorana Foundation with sponsorship from Equatorial Energia, Phebo and Vale, transforms the historic center of the capital of Pará into a hub for reflection on identity, memory and territory through contemporary art.
Curated by visual artist Keyla Sobral, Arte Pará 2026 brings together new works by 25 selected artists, who use different supports, from canvases and sculptures to sensory installations, to translate the complexity of the region.
"In this edition, we seek to bring a plural Amazon, crossed by different experiences, stories and perspectives. We are not interested in a single image or narrative about this territory, but precisely in understanding how each artist builds their own relationship with it", highlights curator Keyla Sobral.
The diversity of techniques and speeches presented at the MEP caught the public's attention on the opening night. For cultural producer Raquel Silveira, the strength of the exhibition lies precisely in this plurality of voices. The opinion is shared by librarian Diana Aragão, who highlighted the role of the event in promoting local culture: "It is very important work for our culture."
One of the highlights of this edition is the special room dedicated to Carmen Sousa (1908-1950), considered one of the pioneers of visual arts in the Amazon. Born in Lisbon and based in Belém, the artist left a remarkable legacy that is now restored under the curatorship of researchers Marisa Mokarzel and Rosângela Britto. The commemorative room offers the public the opportunity to delve into the trajectory and different languages explored by the honoree in the first half of the 20th century.
Created in 1982 by the couple Romulo and Déa Maiorana, Arte Pará has established itself as an essential showcase for artistic production in the North of the country. Who has followed this trajectory since the beginning is the artist Emanuel Franco, coordinator of the event's educational activities, who was present at the first edition. To ensure that art is accessible to everyone, the exhibition has a robust educational project. According to Sérgio Oliveira, general coordinator of the event and director of Mercado Leitor at Grupo Liberal, the monitored visits were planned to also include people with disabilities.
"Throughout the exhibition, we will build a very special exchange. Visitors will have the opportunity to check out the works and learn details about the creative process of the works through an inclusive educational project", says Sérgio Oliveira.
The 42nd edition of Arte Pará presents creations by: Alessandro Falco, Ana Mendes, Bruno Cantuária, Caio Paixão, Carol Abreu, Dias Jr, Diego Azevedo, Emily Guimarães, Felipe Ferreira, Flori Jacamo Hurtado, Itatiane Moraes, Jo Santos, Lucia Gomes, Luciana Lemos, Maria José Batista, Mauro Joaquim Lima, Matheus Bento, Matheus Duarte, Maurileno Sanches, Nay Jinknss, Petcho Silveira, Renee Miranda, Samir Dams, Nazas and Val Sampaio.
Service: Arte Pará 2026 (42nd edition). Where: Museu do Estado do Pará (MEP) – Praça Dom Pedro II, s/n, Cidade Velha, Belém (PA). Visiting period: Until January 30, 2027. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, from 9am to 5pm. Free entry.
