Curated by Ayrson Heráclito — also featured in the exhibition as an artist — and Rodrigo Moura, the exhibition Mestre Didi – invention and ancestry in Afro-Brazilian art is on display at Itaú Cultural, in São Paulo, offering a broad reassessment of the priest-artist’s trajectory and highlighting his decisive role in expanding the horizons of art and strengthening African and Afro-diasporic cultures. In this context, the presence of Nádia Taquary also stands out, whose work, like Heráclito’s, establishes a direct and powerful dialogue with the Afro-Brazilian legacies engaged by the exhibition.

Throughout his life, Brazilian and Bahia-born artist Mestre Didi (1917–2013) moved between art and religious practice, expanding the boundaries of both fields. His mastery of multiple artistic and craft techniques earned him recognition as a master, while his spiritual practice led him to occupy prominent positions within Afro-Brazilian religious traditions.

The exhibition is not limited to Didi’s visual works, also encompassing his literary production and his involvement in significant initiatives and events in Brazil and abroad, dedicated to the research and appreciation of African and diasporic cultures. The exhibition path also highlights his connections with other important figures, such as Abdias Nascimento, a contemporary of the artist and the subject of an edition of the Itaú Cultural “Ocupação” project in 2016.

Don’t miss it! On view until July, 5th.

For more information, click here.

Info

Mestre Didi – Invention and Ancestry in Afro-Brazilian Art
Period: 8 April to 5 July 2026
Visiting times: Tuesday to Saturday, 11 am to 8 pm; Sundays and public holidays, 11 am to 7 pm
Where: Itaú Cultural | Floors 1, -1 and -2
Free admission