Cross and road: the haunting poetry of “daBeira doCaminho”

Between Serro and Belo Horizonte, Tiago Aguiar turns roadside crosses into art and memory in “daBeira doCaminho”. The promise of movement and speed collides with the abrupt end of life on Brazil’s highways. In 2025, 765 people died on federal roads in Minas Gerais. From this reality emerges “daBeira doCaminho,” a powerful exhibition by visual artist Tiago Aguiar, opening on March 19 at 2 p.m. at the Museu Regional Casa dos Ottoni in Serro, with free admission until May 3, 2026. The project documents the so-called “cruzes das almas” — roadside memorials marking fatal accidents — and invites reflection on death, memory, and spirituality. Before photographing, Aguiar performs rituals of cleaning, painting, and fixing each cross, transforming cultural devotion into performative art.

“The work comes from the tradition of caring for the dead, in times when death seems anesthetized,” explains Tiago Aguiar.

The exhibition features the video “Promessa para as Almas” and two photographic series, “Cruz das Almas” and “Ponto de Cruz”, mapping both physical and emotional landscapes. Surround sound in 5.1 merges birdsong and speeding engines for a visceral experience. Produced by the Movimento Áurea Cidadania e Identidade Cultural and Brazil’s Ministry of Culture, with support from the Minas Gerais government, the project invites contemplation and listening — to the landscape, to ancestry, and to the souls that linger by the road.

Service

Exhibition: “daBeira doCaminho” by Tiago Aguiar Opening: March 19 (Thursday), 2 p.m. Dates: March 20 to May 3, 2026 Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Location: Museu Regional Casa dos Ottoni (Praça Cristiano Ottoni, 72 – Praia, Serro) Free admission Photo: Tiago Aguiar