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“Nigrum Corpus”: Racism in Medicine on Display in Rio

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A free exhibition at two Rio hospitals confronts racial bias in Brazilian healthcare through real-based stories — open until April 21.

An Exhibition Born from an Award-Winning Project

The exhibition Nigrum Corpus is now on display at two major hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, bringing a critical conversation to the heart of the healthcare system: racial bias in medicine. Free and open to the public, the show runs until April 21 at the Samaritano and Vitória hospitals in Barra da Tijuca, both part of Rede Américas, Brazil’s second-largest hospital network.

The premise is unsettling but clear: not every disease shows up on a clinical test. Some are the product of systemic inequality. Built around that idea, “Nigrum Corpus” uses visual posters to document real-life accounts of racial discrimination in medical care, creating an educational path in ethnic-racial literacy for students, healthcare professionals, and medical institutions.

From Acclaimed Book to Hospital Walls

The exhibition draws from the book Nigrum Corpus, conceived by the Artplan agency. The book compiles 20 fictional illnesses built from real accounts of racial discrimination in healthcare. In 2025, the project became one of the most decorated in the global advertising and social impact landscape. At Cannes Lions 2025, it won the Grand Prix in Industry Craft — Print & Publishing, along with two Gold Lions, one Bronze, and five shortlists.

Recognition continued across major award circuits. The Effie Awards recognized it with one Gold, two Silvers, and one Bronze. At El Ojo de Iberoamérica, it delivered a historic performance — six Golds, one Gran Ojo, four Silvers, three Bronzes, and fourteen shortlists, making it one of Latin America’s most awarded projects of the year. It also earned two Golds at the AMPRO Awards and five Golds at the CCSP, with a place in the Annual. The film Corpo Preto, the audiovisual companion to the project, received a shortlist at the PPA.

Voices Behind the Initiative

We believe education is a powerful tool for driving structural change. By addressing racial bias in medicine openly and educationally, we contribute to building a fairer and more equitable healthcare system.

Cláudia Romano, President of Instituto Yduqs and Vice President of Grupo Educacional Yduqs

Taking Nigrum Corpus beyond the academic environment is essential to raising awareness about the impact of racism on health. Our goal is to train more attentive, diverse, empathetic physicians, committed to a truly inclusive practice.

Silvio Pessanha, CEO of IDOMED

The Mediversidade Program

The exhibition is part of Mediversidade, a program developed by Instituto Yduqs and IDOMED structured around three pillars — Teach, Include, and Mobilize. Key goals include updating medical school curricula at 70% of units by December 2026, increasing affirmative faculty positions at IDOMED by 35%, and reserving 10% of annual scholarship spots for Black, Indigenous, and disabled students who self-declare under social program criteria.

The program also plans to launch an investment fund for bias-elimination research and to acquire Black mannequins for realistic simulation labs — a practical step that directly shapes how future doctors are trained.

Rede Américas and Its Diversity Commitments

The hospitals hosting the exhibition are part of a network with active inclusion policies. Ricardo Mota, People and Management Director at Rede Américas, outlines the institution’s approach:

We have affinity groups where we bring a theme and all groups discuss it together. Our network is part of the LGBTI+ Rights Business Forum, we have protocols for specialized care of transgender people. And we work with the Global Pact for the Inclusion of Black People, whose goal is to place more Black people in leadership roles, so we can bring about real transformation.

Ricardo Mota, People and Management Director, Rede Américas

Event Info

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