Introduction
The Mercosul Visual Arts Biennial, established in 1996, stands as one of Latin America's most significant contemporary art events, bringing together artists, curators, and audiences in Porto Alegre, the capital city of Brazil's southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul. Created with the vision of promoting integration between countries in the Mercosul region (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Venezuela), the Biennial has evolved into a platform that both celebrates Latin American artistic expressions and engages with global contemporary art dialogues.
Unlike many other biennials worldwide, the Mercosul Biennial distinguishes itself through its strong educational focus and commitment to social responsibility. A substantial portion of its resources is dedicated to educational initiatives that make contemporary art accessible to diverse audiences, particularly school students. This emphasis on pedagogy has made the Biennial renowned not only for its exhibitions but also for its innovative approaches to art education and public engagement.
Through its history spanning over 14 editions, the Mercosul Biennial has consistently worked to legitimize Latin American artistic identities on the global stage while fostering cross-cultural exchange and dialogue. The event transforms Porto Alegre into a vibrant hub of artistic activity, utilizing multiple venues across the city from museums and cultural centers to repurposed industrial spaces and public areas, creating a comprehensive cultural experience that extends beyond traditional exhibition formats.
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Beyond the Exhibition: How Mercosul Biennial Reinvented Art Education in Latin America
In the early morning hours of September 2007, a group of young university students gathered in an industrial warehouse on the outskirts of Porto Alegre. They weren't there for a class or a party, but for something that would radically transform their understanding of contemporary art and, ultimately, reshape the global conversation about art education. These students were the inaugural class of mediators for the 6th Mercosul Biennial's newly established pedagogical program—an innovation that would go on to become one of Latin America's most influential contributions to international exhibition practices.
"We were asked not to be tour guides, but to become cultural researchers," recalls Caroline Machado, one of the original mediators who now works as an education director at a major São Paulo museum. "From day one, Luis Camnitzer [the Biennial's first Pedagogical Curator] told us we weren't there to explain art to visitors but to engage them in co-creating knowledge. It was revolutionary—especially in Brazil, where education had traditionally been quite hierarchical."
What happened in that warehouse—and what has continued to evolve over the subsequent fourteen editions of the Mercosul Biennial—represents a fundamental reimagining of what an international art exhibition can be and how it can function in society. While most major biennials worldwide have education departments that operate adjacently to the main exhibition, the Mercosul Biennial pioneered a model that places pedagogy at its very core, with education functioning not as a supplementary service but as a central curatorial concern equal in importance to the artworks themselves.
The roots of this pedagogical turn can be traced to the Biennial's founding context in the mid-1990s. Porto Alegre, despite being a sophisticated cultural center, was geographically and often conceptually distant from the dominant art circuits of SĂŁo Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, not to mention the global centers of New York, London, and Berlin. The founders of the Biennial recognized that building sustainable audience engagement would require more than simply importing the exhibition formats of established biennials.
"When we launched the first edition in 1997, we quickly realized that contemporary art was still quite foreign to many locals," explains Justo Werlang, the Biennial Foundation's first president. "We needed to build connections between the work and the community, not just for attendance numbers but to fulfill our mission of cultural integration. Education wasn't an afterthought—it was a necessity."
During the Biennial's first decade, educational programming expanded incrementally, but the watershed moment came with the appointment of Uruguayan artist and educator Luis Camnitzer as Pedagogical Curator for the 6th edition in 2007. Rather than designing supplementary activities to accompany the exhibition, Camnitzer proposed transforming the entire Biennial into what he called a "temporary school"—an environment where the production of knowledge would be as important as the display of artworks.
"What Camnitzer understood," notes Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro, who served as chief curator for the 6th edition, "was that the Latin American context required a different model. He didn't see education as translation or simplification of art for the masses, but as a critical, emancipatory practice in itself—very much in the tradition of Paulo Freire's pedagogy of liberation."
The innovation wasn't just conceptual but structural. The Biennial established a dedicated curatorial position for education, placing it on equal footing with artistic direction. This structural shift gave the educational program unprecedented resources, visibility, and authority. The mediator program expanded dramatically, with intensive training beginning months before each exhibition opening. Rather than hiring temporary guides, the Biennial invested in developing a cohort of young professionals who would engage with both artists and visitors in substantive dialogue.
These mediators—primarily university students from fields ranging from art and architecture to psychology and engineering—undergo a rigorous preparation process that more closely resembles graduate-level seminar work than typical docent training. Mediators study not only the exhibition content but also critical pedagogy, visitor engagement strategies, and collaborative knowledge production. Many former mediators have gone on to prominent positions in museums, universities, and cultural institutions throughout Brazil and beyond, creating a diaspora of educational innovation that has influenced practices far beyond Porto Alegre.
"The Mercosul model completely changed my understanding of what art education could be," says Luiza Proença, who began as a mediator in 2009 and later served as curator of public programs at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo. "We weren't there to deliver prepared speeches about artwork but to create situations where genuine exchange could happen. The visitor's perspective was valued as much as the curator's or the artist's."
This approach produces what Brazilian educator Mônica Hoff, who coordinated the Biennial's educational program for several editions, describes as "zones of poetic contamination"—spaces where the boundaries between creating, teaching, learning, and experiencing art become deliberately blurred. This contamination extends beyond the exhibition proper into an extensive network of activities that reach deep into the surrounding community.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the Mercosul Biennial's educational approach is its scale and reach. Each edition typically engages hundreds of thousands of visitors, with school groups from across Rio Grande do Sul state participating in carefully structured visits. Teacher training programs ensure that classroom preparation begins months before students arrive at the exhibition, and follow-up resources extend the experience well beyond the Biennial's official duration.
The influence of this model has spread globally. When Colombian curator José Roca became the Pedagogical Curator for the 8th Mercosul Biennial in 2011, he implemented a "Cloud Education" strategy that expanded the program's reach beyond physical exhibition spaces, creating networks of educational practice that persisted between biennial editions. Roca later applied similar principles as Artistic Director of the Liverpool Biennial, demonstrating how methodologies developed in Porto Alegre could be adapted to different contexts.
"What's distinctive about the Mercosul approach is that it doesn't treat education as translation for those who don't understand art," explains Pablo Helguera, who served as Pedagogical Curator for the 8th Biennial. "Instead, it recognizes education as a creative practice in itself—one that generates new knowledge rather than simply transmitting existing information."
As the Biennial prepares for its 14th edition in 2025, following a postponement due to devastating floods in Southern Brazil, its educational commitment remains central. The upcoming edition, themed "Estalo" (Snap), will not only feature exhibitions across 18 venues but will include an expanded pedagogical program coordinated by Andréa Hygino and Michele Ziegt, building on the foundation established over the past decades.
What began in that Porto Alegre warehouse has evolved into one of Latin America's most significant contributions to contemporary exhibition practice—a model that challenges conventional hierarchies between art and education, curator and audience, institution and community. In a global context where major biennials often compete for spectacle and international prestige, the Mercosul Biennial offers an alternative vision: one where an exhibition's success is measured not just by attendance figures or critical reviews, but by its capacity to generate lasting educational impact and social transformation.
Artistic Vision & Themes
Throughout its history, the Mercosul Biennial has explored a wide range of thematic concerns that reflect both regional perspectives and global dialogues. Each edition's curatorial approach has contributed to an evolving understanding of Latin American art's relationship to broader artistic, social, and political contexts.
Key Thematic Approaches
Latin American Integration - Early editions focused strongly on creating platforms for dialogue between artists from Mercosul countries, examining shared cultural identities and histories while challenging Eurocentric art narratives. This emphasis on regional integration remains foundational to the Biennial's mission, even as its scope has expanded globally.
Educational Innovation - A consistent theme across all editions has been the exploration of innovative pedagogical approaches to contemporary art. The Biennial has pioneered methods of audience engagement that move beyond traditional educational models, treating exhibition visitors not merely as passive spectators but as active participants in knowledge creation.
Nature, Technology, and Society - Several recent editions have investigated the intersections between natural phenomena, technological developments, and social structures. These explorations reflect growing ecological concerns while examining how art can respond to rapidly changing environmental conditions and technological landscapes.
Notable Edition Themes
"Weather Permitting" (2013) - The 9th edition, curated by SofĂa Hernández Chong Cuy, used weather as both a literal and metaphorical framework to explore unpredictable phenomena across natural, technological, and social domains. This edition examined how artists address the unknown and uncontrollable, creating connections between environmental conditions and political "climates."
"The Atlantic Triangle" (2018) - The 11th edition focused on the historical and contemporary connections between Africa, the Americas, and Europe, highlighting particularly the African and Afro-Brazilian artistic contributions often marginalized in art historical narratives. This theme addressed the complex legacy of the transatlantic slave trade and its continuing influence on cultural production.
"Estalo" (Snap) (2025) - The upcoming 14th edition explores the concept of sudden transformation—the instantaneous shifts that occur in nature, in bodies, and in societies. This theme examines how seemingly small changes can trigger significant metamorphoses, reflecting a world characterized by rapid transitions and instability.
These evolving thematic approaches demonstrate the Mercosul Biennial's responsiveness to changing artistic, social, and environmental conditions while maintaining its commitment to fostering dialogue between different cultural contexts and perspectives. By addressing both local concerns and global challenges, the Biennial creates spaces for critical reflection on contemporary realities and possible futures.
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Exhibition Venues
The Mercosul Biennial transforms Porto Alegre's urban landscape by activating multiple venues across the city, from established cultural institutions to repurposed industrial spaces and public areas. This distributed approach encourages exploration of different neighborhoods while highlighting the city's architectural and cultural diversity.
Primary Venues
Usina do GasĂ´metro
A former power station converted into a cultural center, providing dramatic, industrial spaces ideal for large-scale contemporary art installations and serving as one of the Biennial's principal venues since its early editions.
Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul (MARGS)
The state's primary art museum, housed in a historic building in the city center, offers more traditional gallery spaces that create interesting dialogues between contemporary interventions and institutional contexts.
Farol Santander
A cultural center in a historic bank building that provides elegant exhibition spaces in the heart of the city, frequently hosting some of the Biennial's most significant presentations.
Museu de Arte Contemporânea (MAC-RS)
The state's contemporary art museum offers spaces specifically designed for current artistic practices, serving as an important venue for exhibitions that engage with cutting-edge contemporary work.
Expanded Venues for 14th Edition
For the upcoming 14th edition, the Biennial is expanding into new territories, reaching beyond traditional cultural districts to engage with diverse communities across the city:
- Cinemateca CapitĂłlio - The city's historic cinema will host film and video art presentations
- Museu do Hip Hop - A first-time venue reflecting the Biennial's engagement with popular culture and urban expression
- Estação Cidadania Lomba do Pinheiro and Restinga - Cultural centers in peripheral neighborhoods, extending the Biennial's reach to underserved communities
- Pop Center - A popular shopping center that will introduce contemporary art to everyday commercial spaces
- Fundação Vera Chaves Barcellos - Located in neighboring Viamão, expanding the Biennial's regional impact
This distributed approach across 18 different spaces for the 14th edition demonstrates the Biennial's commitment to democratizing access to contemporary art by bringing exhibitions to where people live, work, and gather. By activating both established cultural institutions and non-traditional spaces, the Mercosul Biennial weaves itself into the urban fabric of Porto Alegre, creating multiple points of encounter between art and everyday life.
Educational Approach
The Mercosul Biennial's distinctive identity in the international biennial landscape is largely defined by its pioneering approach to art education and audience engagement. Rather than treating education as a secondary function, the Biennial places pedagogical initiatives at the core of its mission, developing innovative methodologies that have influenced educational practices in cultural institutions around the world.
Mediator Program
At the heart of the Biennial's educational approach is its comprehensive mediator program, which has trained over 1,680 young people since its inception. These mediators—primarily university students from diverse fields—receive extensive preparation before each edition, equipping them not simply to explain artworks but to facilitate meaningful dialogue and exchange between visitors and artistic projects.
Unlike conventional museum guides, Mercosul Biennial mediators are positioned as "transcreators" and cultural producers in their own right, generating knowledge through their interactions with both artists and audiences. This approach transforms the traditional hierarchical model of art education into a more horizontal exchange of ideas and experiences.
Pedagogical Curation
Since 2007, each edition of the Biennial has included a dedicated Pedagogical Curator who works alongside the artistic team to develop educational frameworks and activities. Notable figures who have held this position include:
- Luis Camnitzer (2007) - The renowned artist and educator who proposed transforming the Biennial from an exhibition-centered institution into a "micro-university"
- Marina de Caro (2009) - Who expanded the educational initiatives to include more experimental and participatory methodologies
- Pablo Helguera (2011) - Whose approach further integrated educational concepts into the exhibition structure itself
For the 14th edition, the educational program will include seminars, discussion groups, training courses for teachers and mediators, and specialized educational materials developed by educators and researchers, continuing the Biennial's tradition of pedagogical innovation.
Public Engagement Initiatives
Beyond formal educational programs, the Biennial has developed various strategies to engage diverse audiences:
- School Programs - Structured visits for students of all ages, reaching hundreds of thousands of young people with each edition
- Community Projects - Collaborative initiatives that extend beyond traditional exhibition venues to connect with specific communities
- Public Programs - For the 14th edition, a new curatorial position specifically for Public Programs has been created, organizing lectures, screenings, workshops, and social events
- Digital Resources - Online platforms and publications that extend the Biennial's reach beyond physical spaces and temporal boundaries
Through these multifaceted approaches to education and public engagement, the Mercosul Biennial has repositioned itself as more than just an exhibition of art objects—it functions as a temporary school, a laboratory for pedagogical experimentation, and a platform for collective knowledge production. This commitment to education as a transformative practice aligns with the Biennial's broader social mission, using contemporary art as a vehicle for fostering critical thinking and civic participation.
Video Experience
Explore the atmosphere and impact of the Mercosul Biennial through this video showcase of exhibitions, installations, and the vibrant cultural context of Porto Alegre.
Video: Mercosul Biennial Exhibition Tour | Watch on YouTube
Venue Locations
The Mercosul Biennial spans multiple venues across Porto Alegre, creating a cultural journey through diverse neighborhoods and historic sites that encourages exploration of this dynamic Brazilian city.