Brazilian photographer Malu Mesquita unveiled ‘Miami’ at the Former Versace Mansion: an analog series revisiting 1990s memories, coming to São Paulo in 2026.
An emotional homecoming captured on film
On February 19, 2026, São Paulo-based photographer Malu Mesquita launched her new solo exhibition at an intimate luncheon held inside the iconic Former Versace Mansion in Miami, Florida. The event brought together a distinguished guest list including Mariana Abbott, Ana Carolina Bassi, Carla Bertuol, Jenny Lopez, Eglantina Zing, Martha Graeff, Liandra Salles, Renata Fonseca, Gabriela Medina, Catalina Maya, and Nathalie Sonrensen.
The event was produced by Naty D’Elia Benevides and Camila Seguro, who curated the venue selection and shaped the overall experience. The exhibition is curated by Renato Negrão.
The series ‘Miami’ was born from an unexpected reunion with the past. When Mesquita returned to the United States in 2025 for Art Basel Miami Beach, she found herself flooded with memories of the years she spent studying in the city during the 1990s. That wave of nostalgia sparked the desire to create a new body of work entirely in analog photography.
One week, one city, total creative freedom
One month after that first visit, still in 2025, Mesquita returned to Miami with a clear intention: to photograph an emotional Miami — one that bridges past and present, youth and maturity. Over the course of a week, she roamed the city guided by memory, light, pastel hues, and its iconic architecture, unhurried and fully free in her creative process.
“In ‘Miami,’ I allowed myself to revisit the city through my own memories, letting analog photography bring time itself to the forefront. This is not about tourist Miami — it’s about the Miami that shaped my youth.” — Malu Mesquita, photographer
Launching the show inside a mansion once owned by designer Gianni Versace adds a deeply symbolic layer to the project. The series marks a new chapter in Mesquita’s ongoing investigation into memory, belonging, and identity, offering a tender and personal vision of the city far removed from its tourist image.
‘Miami’ heads to Brazil later in 2026
Though no date has been confirmed yet, the exhibition is expected to travel to Galeria O Jardim, located in the Mooca neighborhood of São Paulo, where works will also be available for sale. Founded in 2024 by Mesquita and curator Renato Negrão, the gallery operates as an art space, library, analog laboratory, book publisher, and school — a multidisciplinary hub for contemporary photography.
“Welcoming this work to ‘O Jardim’ is especially meaningful because the gallery was born from exactly this desire — to create a space for experimentation, reflection, and the celebration of contemporary photography. Adding this series to our calendar reaffirms our commitment to authorial projects that explore memory, identity, and lived experience.” — Renato Negrão, curator
About Malu Mesquita
Born and raised in São Paulo, Malu Mesquita holds a degree in Advertising and returned to photography professionally in 2014 after training at Escola Panamericana. Her work moves fluidly between analog and digital processes, exploring memory, urban landscapes, and contemporary imagery through a strong 1990s aesthetic sensibility.
Info — Malu Mesquita
Instagram: @malumesq
Website: malumesquita.com.br
Info — O Jardim
Address: Rua Ilansa, 185 — Mooca, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 1 PM – 8 PM
Website: ojardim185.com
Instagram: @ojardim185
Photo: Press Release
