The Instituto Cervantes of São Paulo to Open the Exhibition «Palmira Puig / Marcel Giró. Humanism in Brazilian Modernist Photography»

From 5 September, the Instituto Cervantes of São Paulo will host the exhibition Palmira Puig / Marcel Giró. Humanism in Brazilian Modernist Photography , a major exhibition dedicated to celebrating the careers of two key figures in modern Brazilian photography. Organised as part of Spain’s participation as Guest of Honour at the 28th São Paulo International Book Biennial, the exhibition will highlight the artistic legacy of both photographers and their decisive contribution to the renewal of photographic language in the twentieth century.

The exhibition will bring together more than one hundred photographs, offering visitors the opportunity to discover the distinctive vision of Palmira Puig and Marcel Giró. After going into exile from Spain following the Spanish Civil War, the two photographers found in São Paulo a space for creative freedom from which they played an active role in transforming Brazilian photography. As members of the historic Foto Cine Clube Bandeirante, their work combines formal experimentation with a profound humanist sensibility, providing a compelling visual testimony to Brazil’s social and urban modernisation during the mid-twentieth century.

The exhibition Palmira Puig / Marcel Giró. Humanism in Brazilian Modernist Photography will open on 5 September 2026 at the Instituto Cervantes in central São Paulo as one of the flagship cultural events accompanying Spain’s presence at the São Paulo International Book Biennial. In addition, a selection of twenty photographs by both artists will be displayed at the Spain Pavilion within the Biennial grounds, further showcasing a body of work that is fundamental to understanding the history of modern Ibero-American photography.

For further information, please consult the following links related to the exhibition