São Paulo Art Biennial and Its Relation to the Brazilian Art Market

Abstract

Art biennials have proliferated around the world. These important events have been influencing the art market in different ways, since the first art biennial, held in Venice in 1895. This article aims to analyze and discuss the relationship between the São Paulo International Art Biennial, established in 1951, and the Brazilian art market. In this study three sources of information were used, with primary and secondary data. The first source was the Brazilian artworks exports data during the exhibition period of the São Paulo Art Biennial, as per the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services of Brazil. The second source was a survey with the commercial staff of renowned Brazilian art galleries. The third source of information used in this paper was the systematic review of articles published in selected newspapers in USA and England about the São Paulo International Art Biennial between 2012 and 2019. The analysis of the gathered information led to the conclusion that, although the São Paulo International Art Biennial may not directly impact the Brazilian art market short-term sales, the event highlights and promotes Brazilian artists internationally, providing a solid base for the recognition of Brazilian art as good and innovative art, therefore being essential to the Brazilian art system and to the Brazilian art market.