Artist in Residence, Stockholm 4 September 2024 – 15 November 2024

Xadalu Tupã Jekupé is an indigenous artist born in Alegrete, in the pampa of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. His origins are linked to the indigenous peoples who historically inhabited the banks of the Ibirapuitã River, in the former Ararenguá land: the Guarani Mbyá, Charrua, Minuano, Jaros, and Mbone. In his work, he uses serigraphy, painting, photography, and various objects to address the tension between indigenous and Western cultures in cities, with his research focusing on the colonial processes of catechizing native peoples.

Photo: Denison Fagundes

During his residency at IASPIS, he will continue his research into contemporary Indigenous art of a decolonial nature. His work will focus on the impact of payment processes from the original cultures in Rio Grande do Sul, alongside the effects of wars, revolutions, and climate catastrophes, on the destruction of rivers, Indigenous cosmology, and contemporary life. He will examine how the Western way of life impacts Indigenous villages, leading to acculturation. From this research, he will create images and symbols through painting, drawing, video, and installation, seeking to engage in dialogue with the Sami culture present in the region.

His solo exhibitions include: “O Jardim Guarani” (2022) at the São Paulo Cultural Centre, São Paulo, Brazil; “Antes que se apaga ‘territórios flutuantes’” (2022) at the Iberê Camargo Foundation, Porto Alegre, Brazil; “Invasão Colonial Yvy Opata ‘A terra vai acabar’” (2022) at the Museum of Indigenous Cultures, São Paulo, Brazil; “Tekoa Xy ‘A Terra de Tupã’” (2022) at the Inclusartiz Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and “Portal Sul ‘Tucum’” (2021) at the Centre Intermondes, La Rochelle, France. He won the Humanities Prize (2014) in honour of his defence of the indigenous cause allied to socio-cultural issues of his time, and the Açorianos Plastic Arts Prize (2019) in the Breakthrough Artist category, as well as being nominated for the Pipa Prize 2022, among others. He is currently participating in the Bienal das Amazônias, Belém, Brazil. He has travelled to countries such as France, Spain, Italy, and the Mapuche territory in Chile for the 35th São Paulo Biennial as a resident artist.

His work is found in the collections of the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Museu das Culturas Indígenas, São Paulo, Brazil; Fundação Iberê Camargo, Porto Alegre, Brazil; and Collegium, Arévalo, Spain. In 2025, he will hold the solo exhibition “Fe, Fuego y Revueltas” at the Casa de América, Madrid, Spain; and will publish the book “A caminho da casa de barro” with Todavia publishing house, São Paulo. Also in 2025, he will hold the exhibition “Cosmovisão” at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.