As Marias of Leca Araujo
A curious perspective of Brazil through women
Organised by Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
The exhibition «As Marias» will bring around 20 artworks, including an art installation, from the series «As Marias» of the Brazilian artist Leca Araujo. Its title comes from the fact that, in Brazil, not only is “Maria” the most common female given name, but it also became a synonym of “woman”.
The series brings a perspective of Brazil through its women. The idea for the series derived from Leca Araújo’s intimate reaction to a statement made by a Brazilian soap opera writer, according to whom the typical Brazilian woman is a black housemaid named Maria. Using many types of paint combined with a great variety of recycled materials, the artist depicts different iconic female profiles that may represent the social and political snapshot of the country by the Brazilian women.
