The Best Current Art Shows in São Paulo and Why You Should Visit Them
Presently, São Paulo’s art scene is thriving, offering a season of art for art lovers. From lesser-known to world-renowned artists, both Brazilian and foreign, that’s what you’ll find at the local art galleries and museums. They are showing photography and modern and contemporary art. Here you’ll read about shows taking place in a variety of locations, from a small hidden house to the immense pavilion of the São Paulo Biennale. Prepare yourselves to enjoy it!
- IMS Paulista
Located on Paulista Avenue, its building was designed to be a museum. Its facade is made of translucent glass panels — from the outside, you cannot see clearly its inside. Except for the fifth floor, from where you can have a great view of the city. Mostly devoted to photography, it now holds a retrospective show by the American photographer Gordon Parks (1912–2006), whose work in documenting the day-to-day lives of Black people in the US is praised across the world.
Around 200 works by him — mainly photos from the 1940s to the 1970s — depict how Black people lived in that country and other parts of the world, including Brazil, from daily life scenes to portraits of leaders such as Malcom X and Martin Luther King. His works marked the union of art and activism and show love, fights for civil rights and recognition, banal scenes, kids’ games, and the hip hop scene. By blending documentary and art, his work provokes thought and emotion, being known for its humanity and empathy. Until 1 March.
On the ground floor, there is a very nice Brazilian food restaurant named Balaio IMS.
- São Paulo Biennale
I have written here before about this megaevent. You can read an article about it here and a short review of it here. Don’t miss it, it’s one of the most important art events in the world, alongside the Venice Biennale. It gathers 120 artists from all corners of the world in a quest to expand the boundaries of humanity. Until 11 January.
- Casa Zalszupin
Literally Zalszupin House, it was the home of Polish architect and designer Jorge Zalszupin, who designed it in the 1960s. It is a joint project of ETEL, a design company, and Almeida and Dale Gallery. Every 45 days or so, they put on shows that blend design and art. The present show pays homage to L’Atelier, having Marina Frúgoli as the curator. L’Atelier was a furniture brand founded in 1959 by Zalszupin. Its pieces of furniture are presented alongside artworks by Amilcar de Castro, Lygia Pape, Luiz Sacilotto and Hércules Barsotti.
This place is on Rua Dr. Antônio Carlos de Assunção, 138, near MIS Museum, MUBE Museum, ETEL and Nara Roesler Gallery. Until 22 November.
- MASP
I picked two shows from the ones currently on display at the MASP Museum. One is the solo show by Clarissa Tossin, a Brazilian artist living in the United States for more than twenty years. “Point of no return” is her first solo show at a Brazilian museum and was curated by Adriano Pedrosa. It gathers reflections on the climate crisis. Volume Morto [Dead Pool] was created with the soil collected in the flood-affected areas in Rio Grande do Sul in 2024. It’s a dense and tough show, but worth visiting. Until 1 February.
The other one is “Histories of Ecology”, a group show with works by artists, activists, and social movements. It questions the relationships between human and non-human beings — animals, forests, etc. There are 116 artists, mostly from the Global South. Its curators are André Mesquita and Isabella Rjeille. The 5-storey show beautifully shows us how deeply we as humans are connected to nature as a whole. Also, it puts into play other forms of knowledge that are usually contested. Until 1 February.
- Simões de Assis Gallery
The 40-year-old gallery in the Jardins neighbourhood is holding a solo show by Mexican artist Gabriel de la Mora, who built a new series of works with eggshells, butterfly wings, bird feathers, and obsidian rock. These materials, seldom seen in contemporary art, are systematically arranged, forming gorgeous pieces that attract our eyes for long-term interaction. De la Mora’s obsessive processes and practices lead to works that question various art topics: art history, materials, techniques, and art trends. Until 20 December.
Don’t miss these shows. Count on us at London Art Walk to take you on a guided tour to visit some of these places. You’ll be surprised to see so much great art in a few hours.
Luis Sandes for London Art Walk
November 2025