‘Candomblé’ by André Fernandes occupies IGR Asunción until March 2026 with series on Orixás and sacred food.
Invited by the Embassy of Brazil in Paraguay, photographer André Fernandes presents the inédita exhibition ‘Candomblé’, on view until March 2026 at the Instituto Guimarães Rosa (IGR) Asunción. The public has free access to the show, which features the series ‘Orixás’ and ‘Ounjẹ Òrìṣà – Comida de Orixá’.
The IGR Asunción celebrates the debut of the gallery by the Brazilian artist, awarded by the UN in 2024. The exhibition explores Afro-Brazilian identity, connecting diaspora territories in the heart of Paraguay.
Paraguayan, Brazilian and Afro-Latin cultures converge in the Afrodiasporic universe captured through the photographer’s lens.
Series highlight rituals, memory and spirituality
During the guided visit, the public learns about the customs, rituals, culture, drums and spirituality of the Ilê Axé Alaketu terreiro in Salvador. The fifteen photographs of the ‘Orixás’ series, created in 2014, make their first appearance in Paraguay after being awarded at the UN International Art Competition for Minority Artists in Geneva.
“In this essay, photography is a ‘bridge’ between the artistic gaze and Afro-descendant spirituality. Between what society still fears and what art insists on revealing. For me, ‘Orixás’ is not about documentation, but an act of resistance and historical repair. It is in this moment between the visible and the invisible that this powerful and important essay is born,” the photographer says.
Guided by Babalorixá Indarê Sá, the photographs honor the symbols, clothing and ancestry of Afro-Brazilian religious tradition. The exhibition also expands the series ‘Ounjẹ Òrìṣà – Comida de Orixá’, featuring sixteen works created from foods prepared by Tata ria Nkisi Douglas Santana.
The new series links the sacred to the everyday, encouraging visitors to reflect on the foods that honor the Orixás. Like shells, tools and guides that mediate communication between body and spirit, food appears as a living rite and heritage of African territories.
“There is no Candomblé without food; and every dish served in a terreiro is an act of respect. The ingredients, the preparation methods, the utensils and the rituals carry meanings transmitted orally through generations, family by family. It is a sacred cuisine that nourishes the body and feeds the soul,” explains curator Mai Katz.
Cultural exchange strengthens regional connection
On view until March 2026, the exhibition strengthens the international presence of Afro-Brazilian culture. During the season, André Fernandes engages with the Afro-Paraguayan community of Kamba Cuá, promoting an exchange of traditions and values.
The exhibition also features fifteen observational drawings created by children from Kamba Cuá. The works represent the Ibejis, honoring the child Orixás.
“It is very nice to bring part of our culture here. Candomblé is much more than religion. It is part of our culture. Of Black people. Of people of the sacred. It is another path to share our work. I always say it is documentary work that helps demystify the prejudice that Brazilian society has toward Candomblé. This opportunity for the children is part of this whole. It is about democratizing culture instead of demonizing it,” says André Fernandes.
The exhibition is part of the El Ojo Salvaje Photography Circuit on November 14 and joins the Night of Museums the following day. The ‘Orixás’ series will travel to Europe in August 2026, invited by the UN.
“We were talking, Mai and I, about where the Orixás are leading me. I feel like an instrument, a bridge for people to know the Orixás through my work. The Orixás are not beauties of ‘photography’. They are beauties of Candomblé; may axé overflow. Laroyê!” he concludes.
The exhibition is presented by the Instituto Guimarães Rosa Asunción (IGR), with support from Itaipu Binacional, Fundação Itaú and Eurofarma.
SERVICE
[‘Candomblé’ Exhibition by André Fernandes]
Where: Instituto Guimarães Rosa (IGR) Asunción – Embajada de Brasil, Calle Eligio Ayala, corner of Avenida Perú, Asunción
When: from November 14 to March 2026
Exhibition days and hours: by appointment
Vernissage: November 14, from 7:30 p.m.
