Abre Alas

By the end of 2004, the first year of the gallery's life, Marcio Botner, Laura Lima and Ernesto Neto realized that they had a treasure in their hands: about 200 portfolios received from artists from all over Brazil. They decided that they would use all this material in one exhibition which has taken place since 2005 - close to the time of the carnival, inaugurating the calendar of exhibitions of A Gentil Carioca.

The name "Abre Alas" refers to the car that opens the parade of the Samba schools. The project is an exhibition that was born with the intention of opening space for young artists. Over time, the exhibition has included artists from around the world. A Gentil Carioca works as a showcase, and is happy to see that the artists featured in the project go their way and become part of a larger network.

Since 2010 the gallery has invited curators to select the works.

Access the open call for the 2025 edition