ByMEREDITH NOLL Inhotim is the world’s largest contemporary art center located on 3000 acres of land in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. It was created by the Brazilian pig-iron magnate, Bernardo Paz, who started buying art in 1997. He later established his collections in Inhotim as a nonprofit museum.
Among its 17 permanent indoor art galleries and countless outdoor exhibitions, the art sanctuary comprises a collection of over 500 large-scale works. Inhotim boasts Brasil’s second largest botanical garden (the Jardim Botanico in Rio being the first), 5 ornamental lakes, two 5-star restaurants a few smaller cafes and one bar. It is accessible by foot or golf cart shuttles and offers tours in English and Portuguese.
Outdoor Troca 22% by Jarbos Lopes. Image by Meredith Noll.
Outdoor Installation. Image by Meredith Noll.
Outdoor Installation. Image by Meredith Noll.
Outdoor Fine Dining at Inhotim. Image by Meredith Noll.
The visceral approach that was taken in creating Inhotim makes it grandiosity less overwhelming, and more like a relaxing place where inspirational art from all around the world can be seen.
CONTINENTE NUVEM (2008), by Rivane Neuenschwande.
Image by Stephen Friedman.
Courtesy of Inhotim.
The galleries contain works by highly acclaimed Brazilian and international artists such as Rivane Neuenschwander, Adriana Varejão, Tunga, Doug Aitken, Janet Cardiff, and Olafur Eliasson to name a few. Some of these works are purely observatory, and a few reminiscent of film, as in the case of Matthew Barney’s De Lama Lamina (pictured below).
DE LAMA LÂMINA byMatthew Barney. Image by Pedro Motta. Courtesy of Inhotim.
SOUND PAVILION (2009), by Doug Aitken. Image by Meredith Noll.
The Pavilhão Cosmococas by Hélio Oiticica and Neville D'Almeida is purely interactive with 5 different rooms incorporating their interpretation of elements of art by John Cage, Yoko Ono, Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn Monroe and Luis Buñuel.
You can expect to swim (yes bring a bathing suit!) in a relaxing-dimly-lit-pool, while watching wall projections by John Cage--jump around on a trampoline-like gymnast’s mat with Yoko Ono, and relax in hammocks while imbibing Jimi Hendrix--or play with helium filled balloons in the Marilyn Monroe Room (pictured below).
Cosmococa CC3 MAILERYN (1973) by Hélio Oiticica and Neville D'Almeida. Image by Eugênio Sávio. Courtesy of Inhotim.
Pavilhão Cosmococas by Hélio Oiticica and Neville D'Almeida. Image by Pedro Motta. Courtesy of Inhotim.
By Adriana Varejão. Image by Meredith Noll.
Perceptions of time, space, and psychological change are called into question by Cildo Meireles who has three permanent galleries on site. (Featured below).
Desvio Para o Vermelho by Cildo Meireles. Image by Pedro Motta. Courtesy of Inhotim.
And while it is imprudent to reveal all of the surprises, the last bit of advice is to have a pair of closed-toed shoes on hand. For information on how to get here, check out their website at www.inhotim.org.br.
Meredith Noll is our Contributor, (an American) based in Brazil. She'll be keeping us in the know and connecting the dots in The NewsGallery style, all the way from São Paulo.
