Right-wing politician’s complaint against Masp exhibition dismissed in Brazil

Brazil’s state public prosecutor’s office in São Paulo (MPSP) dismissed a complaint alleging “religious offense” against the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (Masp) over its exhibition La Chola Poblete: Pop Andino. The complaint was filed on 24 May by Danilo Balas, a state representative from Jair Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party, and coincided with a Change.org petition titled “Respect for Faith and Citizenship,” which surpassed 12,000 signatures after initially aiming for 10,000. In a decision signed on 3 June, the MPSP said the complaint was based on “abstract conjecture” and that prosecutors should not replace the technical and curatorial judgment of cultural institutions. The show presents 31 works by Argentine artist La Chola Poblete (born 1989), curated by Masp artistic director Adriano Pedrosa and assistant curator Leandro Muniz, including 14 watercolours from her Vírgenes cholas series shown at the 2024 Venice Biennale, where she received a special mention. Masp said it stands by the exhibition, which remains on view until 2 August.

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