Starting in August, Gruta – Espaço de Arte Contemporânea will present the first edition of “Open Field – Gruta Study Series” a series of public events focused on reflection, exchange, and debate regarding practices, research, and issues in contemporary art. The series stands out for its modular structure: each session constitutes its own space for reflection and offers a unique approach to its theme.
Operating under a hybrid model within the art world, Gruta functions as a contemporary art space and a launchpad for emerging artists, without adopting the traditional format of representing specific artists on a permanent basis. This institutional autonomy is directly reflected in the curation of this series, which brings together artists, curators, consultants, and researchers to share their career paths and behind-the-scenes explorations.
Aimed at artists, students, curators, collectors, researchers, cultural professionals, and others interested in contemporary art, the program seeks to bring together different actors in the art world, fostering listening, dialogue, and the exchange of ideas. With limited spots (30) and participation by prior registration, the sessions foster an environment for in-depth exploration and exchange, offering an overview of the multiple dimensions that shape the production, circulation, and reception of art in the contemporary world.
Full Program
Ana Mazzei | The Art of Not Knowing: Questions and Interventions in the Studio
August 1 (Saturday), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This talk explores the behind-the-scenes aspects of artistic practice, viewing the studio as a space for experimentation, hesitation, and discovery. It examines how doubts, mistakes, dead ends, and changes in direction serve as drivers of creative invention. She will discuss the development of artistic language, the relationship between intuition and method, references, and the challenges of sustaining an ongoing artistic practice in everyday life. Ana Mazzei is a visual artist, holds a master’s degree in Visual Poetics, teaches at IED and Faculdade Santa Marcelina, and is the founder of Teatro Facada.
Lucas Dilacerda | Curation and Contemporary Art in the Age of Neoliberalism
August 8 (Saturday), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
It addresses the impacts of neoliberalism on the art system, focusing on the imperative for artists to become their own entrepreneurs and on somatopsychic ailments such as anxiety and fatigue. It analyzes curatorial practice in the age of information overload, presenting experimental approaches that subvert this logic. It discusses the constraints of institutional criticism and presents poetics of resistance found in Brazilian artistic creations. Lucas Dilacerda is a curator, art critic, and researcher with a Ph.D. in the Arts, working in the fields of curation, art criticism, and the philosophy of art.
Axis Curadoria | Consulting and curation in the field of collecting
September 11 (Friday), from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
It explores how an art collection takes shape as a form of thought, memory, and sociocultural positioning. It offers critical tools for understanding the current art market and its mechanisms beyond mere values. It addresses acquisition criteria, long-term strategies, challenges of coherence, the construction of narratives through artworks, as well as topics such as authenticity, conservation, estate planning, and the global market. Axis Curadoria is a contemporary art consulting and curatorial firm founded by Fernanda Moraes and Fernando Mota, specializing in art collecting and project development.
Marilá Dardot | Out on the street
September 12 (Saturday), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The conversation aims to explore modes of contemporary art production that relate directly to public space. The discussion will be guided by a presentation of the artist’s own works and those of other historic artists who participated in seminal projects such as “Apocalipopótese” and “Do Corpo à Terra,” as well as artists such as Cildo Meireles, Carlos Zilio, Lais Myrrha, and Paulo Brusky. Marilá Dardot is a visual artist with a master’s degree in Visual Arts from UFRJ, whose research focuses on memory, language, and history.
Eliana Finkelstein | Art Before TikTok
October 17 (Saturday), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
It reflects on the transformations of the art system in recent decades, drawing on the experience of Galeria Vermelho since its founding in 2002, in a context that predated social media. It addresses the challenges of producing, documenting, preserving, and incorporating experimental works into collections and institutions, as well as analyzing how digital platforms have transformed the circulation and valuation of artworks. Eliana Finkelstein is a gallerist, curator, and co-founder of Galeria Vermelho, with a career dedicated to contemporary art and collecting.
Rodrigo Bivar | The Same and the Different
October 31 (Saturday), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The artist will present his work and share reflections on his research in painting, engaging in dialogue with other artists who, through different formal and conceptual approaches, expand the possibilities of contemporary painting. The event will also feature a discussion about his solo exhibition, currently on view at Galeria Zielinsky in São Paulo, offering the public insight into his creative processes. Rodrigo Bivar is a visual artist who graduated from FAAP, a master’s student at UNESP, and a fellow of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation.
Cristina Candeloro | Inside the Art Market
November 28 (Saturday), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
She explores what happens between the artist’s studio and the wall of a museum or a collection. The speaker shares experiences gained over nearly twenty-five years working in galleries, consulting, managing private collections, and directing the ArPa Art Fair, offering a broad perspective on the behind-the-scenes workings and challenges of the art market. Cristina Candeloro holds degrees in journalism and visual arts; she is a cultural manager, founder of kolekti and dopo, and Director of Institutional Relations at ArPa.
