The installation as maravilhas* is a series of mobiles presented in the main entrance of MAC USP, highlighting seventeen personalities who left an indelible mark on the Brazilian cultural landscape: Leila Diniz (1945-1972), Hélio Oiticica (1937-1980), Madame Satã (1900-1976), Luz del Fuego (1917-1967), Anitta (1993-), Clara Nunes (1942-1983), Elza Soares (1930-2022), Elke Maravilha (1945-2016), Ney Matogrosso (1941-), Simone Mazzer (1968-), Bidu Sayão (1902-1999), Brenda Lee (1948-1996), Maria Bethânia (1946-), Linn da Quebrada (1990-), Chiquinha Gonzaga (1847-1935), Clóvis Bornay (1916-2005), and Clementina de Jesus (1901-1987).

In the installation, the mobiles evoke and can be understood as dynamic portraits, capable of capturing and transmitting the essence of the figures they represent. In as maravilhas*, each of these personalities was chosen for their profound connection with music, voice, and/or dance—elements fundamental to the way they express their identities and communicate with society.

These performative bodies are not just artistic manifestations, but also political forces, immersed in debates on gender, sexual orientation, and ethnic diversity, among others. The installation explores how these public and political corporeities reveal or provoke society’s perceptions and its dominant ideologies. The mobiles thus become a form of reflection on the power of representation, issues of identity, and the desires that shape societal values and ideals.

Photo: Elaine Maziero