Fondation Cartier Debuts "The Yanomami Struggle" in North America
Since 1984, the Fondation Cartier for contemporary art has served as a catalyst for conversations surrounding artistic creation through exhibitions, live performances, and facilitated talks worldwide. Entering its 39th year, the organization's longtime mission continues with the debut of "Yanomami Struggle" in North America.
Within the third floor of The Shed, a cultural center in New York City that follows a similar mission to Fondation Cartier, the lives of the Yanomami people, one of the largest Indigenous groups living in the Amazonia, are illustrated in an expansive exhibition. Curated by Thiago Noguiera, head of contemporary photography at Instituto Moreira Salles in São Paulo with the guidance of shaman and Yanomami leader Davi Kopenawa, the works by Yanomami painters, drawers, and filmmakers are placed alongside over 200 photographs by Brazilian activist and photographer Claudia Andujar.
"Our relationship with the Yanomami people is a long-term one," Hervé Chandès, the artistic managing director of the Fondation Cartier, tells Town & Country. "Because they are the ones on the front lines, fighting to preserve their forests and their homes. This exhibition is a glimpse into their lives, their vision of the world, and a celebration of the spirit of the forest."
The exhibition tells the story of the Yanomami people through two distinct categories of work. The first documents their culture and way of living: Andujar's photographs depicting Yanomami society are placed alongside drawings by artists such as Ehuana Yaira and Joseca Mokahes. The second chronicles the threats and dangers faced by the Yanomami people.
This debut in North America follows the acclaimed presentations at the IMS in São Paulo, the Fondation Cartier in Paris, and the Barbican Centre in London. "New York is a large stage to give these artists and people a voice. This is more than just an event," Chandès says. "It's a long-term commitment to a conversation about those at the front lines of forest conservation."
"Yanomami Struggle" will be on view from February 3 to April 16, 2023 at The Shed New York. For more information about the program and ticketing, visit theshed.org.
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