36th São Paulo Biennial: a Short Review
The São Paulo Biennale is the second-oldest in the world and one of the three most important biennales currently. Its 36th edition is now on show at a pavilion in the Ibirapuera Park, until 11 January. Under the theme ‘Not All Travellers Walk Roads – Of Humanity as Practice’, it aims at rethinking humanity and considers beauty as a starting point for such a discussion. In this short review, you will learn more about the show and its shortcomings.
Chief-curator Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, a Cameroonian curator based in Berlin, leads a team comprised of co-curators Alya Sebti, Anna Roberta Goetz and Thiago de Paula Souza, as well as co-curator at large Keyna Eleison and strategy and communication advisor Henriette Gallus.
The conceptual idea relies on the image of the estuary, as it is an environment that nurtures the whole of nature. The title of the show departs from a poem by Afro-Brazilian Conceição Evaristo that talks about a very intimate relationship with poetry, which can enter some submerged worlds. Taking her words as a starting point is a statement in itself — a poem to open up new possibilities, paths in art in the present world.
The 120 artists presented at the pavilion indicate thorough research by the curatorial team across the globe. The artists come from all corners of the world, in a manner distinct from how it used to be some editions of this biennale ago. The 2023 edition brought to light Black, female and indigenous artists who were not seen in this country.
The show is filled with paintings, sculptures, installations, video installations, and sound installations that, in general, seek non-Western systems of belief. That suggests that hearing other cultures is crucial for the world’s current crises. The majority of artists presented are from Africa, Asia or South America.
About fifty per cent of the works in this show were commissioned, i.e., they did not exist previously and were designed for this occasion. Artists such as Gê Viana (Brazil, 1986), Theresah Ankomah (Ghana, 1989), Laure Prouvost (France, 1978), Myriam Omar Awadi (La Réunion, 1983), Precious Okoyomon (England, 1993) and Emeka Ogboh (Nigeria, 1977) are included in this list.
Despite the relevance and consistency of the body of works selected or commissioned in the show, its exhibition design and visual identity undermine the experience the audience has. There are two main serious problems, and these are the lowest the exhibition gets.
Signage is very poor. The tags with the author of the work’s name and its title, date and materials are almost always badly located. They are often placed more than 5 or 10 meters away from the corresponding works, hence compromising a proper contact with them. Originally, the curators wanted no tags at all, to allow the visitors a direct experience. But the tags had to be present, and unfortunately, were misplaced. This problem is bigger if we consider that most of the exhibited artists are unfamiliar to most of the audience.
Also, the texts that explain the ideas and artists of each nucleus of the show are poorly placed, making it difficult to read.
The exhibition design is another huge problem with the show. Across the 3-storey pavilion, tall curtains of voile mark sinuous paths, in line with the idea of the estuary. But they hide many rooms behind them, which many people cannot enter, only because they hadn’t realised there was more to see, often an installation or a video room. Also, they sometimes interfere with the appreciation of a work near them.
Nevertheless, visiting the 36th São Paulo Biennale remains a must. It’s a bold statement on how to live today, in a poetic way. It’s a shame the show is not always favourable to the audience, limiting its experience.
Luis Sandes for London Art Walk
October 2025