First Amazonian Art Exhibition in the Forbidden City

BrasilConnects, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, publicizing, supporting and celebrating the cultural and ecological wealth of Brazil, is presenting the first Brazilian exhibition inside the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Amazonia: Native Traditions features 344 items of indigenous art and archaeology from the Amazon region. It was inaugurated by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on May 25 and will remain open until August 24.

Amazonia: Native Traditions was proposed in October 2001, together with an exhibition that sent the Xi'an Terra Cotta Warriors to Brazil. The exhibition in Beijing is expected to attract thousands of visitors since 15,000-20,000 people pass through the Forbidden City daily.

The exhibition will be displayed in the 400-square-metre Shen Wu Men Pavilion inside of the North Gate, and will be divided in two parts. The first part displays items representing various archaeological traditions, including Marajoaran urns and loincloths, ceramics made by the Guarita, Aristé and Maracá peoples, and axes and arrowheads made by peoples that lived in Brazil in pre-historic times. The second part showcases objects made by contemporary indigenous peoples, with an emphasis on feather art, basketry, ceramics, and ritual masks.

The exhibition reveals the soul of Brazilian indigenous art, from pre-colonial to modern times and the close relationship between the people and nature and how they produced artistic works of a rare beauty and perfection from materials encountered in their natural surroundings.

Open: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., daily.

Admission: free for the exhibition and 60 yuan for the Forbidden City

Tel: +86 10 8511 7240

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