Inhotim Institute of Contemporary Art: Tensions between Museums and DIY Culture

This paper aims to discuss the relationship between museums and the DIY practices, that have been challenging established forms of recognition in contemporary art. Based on a case study on the Inhotim Institute, this research discusses how institutional criticism, through a public sphere permeable to visual culture, has contributed to the emergence of new institutional practices that blur the boundaries between art and politics and set in motion new social relations in the art system.

At the end of 2022, Maxwell Alexandre, a young rising artist, coming from the working classes of Rio de Janeiro, questioned the structural racism evident in the curatorial practices of one of the most important contemporary art institutions in Brazil, the Inhotim Institute. Following the controversy, the artist proposed the creation of new self-managed exhibitory spaces in Rio de Janeiro, also contributing to disruptions in the established practices of the Minas Gerais institution. The episode highlights new forms of institutionalization that articulate DIY culture, the public sphere, and discursive practices that challenge the hegemonic art system.