An exhibition by the Guarani Community (Sao Paulo, Brazil) with ally artist Rafael Vilela

An exhibition that explores the profound historical and ongoing clash between indigenous traditions and the forces of urban expansion, environmental destruction, and modernity in Brazil. The exhibition brings together the photography of Rafael Vilela in collaboration with the Guarani Yvyrupa Commission, shedding light on the Guarani Mbyá people's struggle for survival in the midst of São Paulo's vast megalopolis. 

The ground floor of the gallery will have a documentary atmosphere, highlighting the struggle and resistance of the Guarani people in Jaraguá (Brazil), through photographs, a territorial map and a 3D model. The upper floor will be a symbolic and immersive space evoking Guarani spirituality. Eight large-format photographic portraits, a petynguá (ceremonial tobacco object) together with lighting/smoke/sound effects will evoke the ritual gap in the roof of the prayer house.  

The Guarani Mbyá community, located in Brazil's smallest Indigenous territory, continues to preserve its spiritual practices, language, and agricultural traditions amidst a rapidly urbanising world. With their land of only 1.8 hectares nestled between the towering urban sprawl of São Paulo and the last remnants of the tropical forest, they stand as a symbol of resilience and ecological resistance. Since the invasion of the Portuguese in 1500, the Guarani have faced over 500 years of displacement, enslavement, and forced assimilation. Yet their spiritual and cultural practices remain strong, offering vital ecological wisdom that has sustained their communities for generations. The Petynguá pipe, central to their spirituality, is a symbol of their unbroken connection to their ancestors and a tool to invoke ancestral knowledge, all while raising urgent questions about urban life's impact on the environment. 

 Nhemboaty translates multiple encounters—both physical and metaphysical—reflecting on colonization but also on the photographer's encounter, five years ago, with this Indigenous community surrounded by the city, and the lessons learned about a reality that is both ancient and largely invisible to most people. 

Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival:

This exhibition is part of the Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival initiated by the Richmond Arts Service. A series of artist-led, multi-disciplinary projects, events and performances will take place in different venues around the borough, exploring our relationship with nature and reflecting on the ecological crisis. Read more: https://richmondartsandideas.com/events-1

Imagining the Forest: 

Three communities from three different parts of the world come together to explore and share knowledge on our relationship with nature, filling Richmond galleries and streets with stories, photos, film and cross-cultural objects of these places and new-found friendships: The Guarani Community in Sao Paulo with ally artist Rafael Vilela; artists Nadeem Alkarimi, Sadqain Riaz, and Qadir Jhatial along the River Indus in Pakistan with the Karachi Biennale; and Richmond Arts & Ideas Festival with artist Eelyn Lee.

This project is supported by the British Council and curated by Carol Lopes.