Due to the devastating flooding in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, which has seen hundreds of fatalities and thousands displaced, the Mercosur Biennial has been postponed. The high-profile event, which has been staged in the state capital Porto Alegre since 1996, was due to open in September, but with many of venues at least partially damaged by water, it is not likely to not open until April 2025.
Carmen Ferrão, the president of the Mercosur Biennial Foundation, said: ‘We believe in the transformative power of art. More than ever, the Biennial will represent a beacon of hope in the midst of everything that has happened. It will be an opportunity to highlight the resilience of a state in its reconstruction, resuscitating the artistic sector and attracting visitors back to the [state] capital.’
The Museu do Trabalho, a major venue for this edition of the bienal, had its basements flooded, and is one of more than 50 museums in the state to have suffered structural damage.
Writing on social media the Bienal’s curator, Raphael Fonseca, said: ‘Words fail to convey the tragedy striking not only the city of Porto Alegre, but the entire state of Rio Grande do Sul. Before I was working on the current edition of the Mercosul biennial, I was in Porto Alegre dozens of times and I am passionate about the city. Seeing her underwater and with so many homeless people is a nightmare that will take time for the people in the area to recover from.’
