Returning for its 22nd edition from April 8–12, SP-Arte 2026 reaffirms its role as a vital platform for artistic and design innovation in Latin America. Held at São Paulo’s iconic Bienal Pavilion, this year’s fair unites 180 exhibitors across art, design, and cultural programming, reflecting a dynamic intersection of tradition, experimentation, and global dialogue. Alongside an expanded design sector and new initiatives like Design NOW, the fair spotlights how Brazilian creatives are engaging deeply with materiality, heritage, and contemporary form. Voyage into five standout presentations that offer a compelling snapshot of the fair’s breadth and vision.
Herança Cultural
Herança Cultural, Athos Panel, photo by Rafael Felix.
Rejoicing in its 35th anniversary, Herança Cultural presents a refined dialogue between historical and contemporary design.The booth bridges Brazilian modernist icons with new material explorations, emphasizing design as a living, ever-evolving language. Among the treasures is Luminária Lunar by Artur Lescher and Maneco Quinderé, a sculptural lighting piece that merges stainless steel with carved stone, balancing spatial tension and radiant perception. Historical works, such as a rare Joaquim Tenreiro chair from 1955 and Athos Bulcão’s Igrejinha tile panel, anchor the presentation in Brazil’s design legacy. Meanwhile, contemporary voices like Simone Coste and Rodrigo Zampol introduce fresh perspectives through innovative uses of resin, metal, and aluminum. The booth ultimately imparts a thoughtful continuity between past and present, grounded in craftsmanship and conceptual rigor.
Ananda Nahu
Ananda Nahu, “Cabocla Jurema,” Acrilica sobre tela, 150 x 110cm, courtesy of the artist.
Courtesy of Ananda Nahu.
In a special, dedicated conceptual space within the fair’s institutional section, Ananda Nahu’s work unfolds as a vivid exploration of identity, memory, and environment. Presented by Rosewood São Paulo, the installation brings together paintings selected by curator Kátia D’Avillez that merge graphic language with organic motifs. Nahu’s compositions often weave together elements of nature—flora, fauna, and human figures—into richly layered visual narratives. Her practice reflects a broader engagement with Afro-Brazilian heritage and cultural storytelling, positioning painting as both an aesthetic and political act. The immersive presentation offers a moment of reflection within the fair, where color, symbolism, and form converge in a deeply personal yet universally resonant body of work.
Dualde Cornelsen
Courtesy of Dualde Cornelsen.
Marking their debut with a dedicated booth, Dualde Cornelsen—formed by Lucas Dualde and Pali Cornelsen—introduce a cohesive body of work shaped by years of transnational research. Drawing from experiences across Brazil, Spain, and the United States, the duo explores the intersection of architecture, interiors, and collectible design. Their presentation centers on material relationships, combining wood, ceramic, bronze, textiles, and pigment into a unified visual symphony. Particularly striking are their lighting works, where sculptural form and functional illumination exist in tension. Hand-split wood structures, embroidered fabric shades, and stacked ceramic elements reveal a tactile sensitivity and resistance to uniformity. Their showcase signals a strong and meaningful entry into Brazil’s contemporary design landscape.
Ricardo van Steen for Folio
Miniature metal siesta armchair, courtesy of Ricardo van Steen and Folio.
For his second consecutive year at SP-Arte, Ricardo van Steen deepens his collaboration with Folio, presenting a body of work that investigates the transition between studio practice and industrial production. The booth itself is carefully staged, with textile partitions and directed lighting that emphasize structure, surface, and scale. Central to the presentation is Siesta Metal, a chair that evolves from earlier iterations through engagement with industrial processes such as steel cutting and assembly systems. Across the works, materials like wood, steel, leather, and textile coverings are treated as integral components of design thinking. Van Steen’s approach underscores a precise balance between formal clarity and manufacturing adaptability, embracing the possibilities of design at scale without losing its conceptual edge.
Galeria Luis Maluf
Fernanda Pompermayer,
“Golden Tooth II,” 2025
Glazed ceramic, glass, mother-of-pearl, and resin
Edition: Unique
70 x 70 x 9 cm, courtesy of the artist.
At booth G04, Galeria Luis Maluf brings together Bu’ú Kennedy, Bruno Vilela, and Fernanda Pompermayer in a presentation defined by material intensity and visual power. Each artist approaches form and narrative from a distinct perspective. Kennedy’s intricate marquetry works draw on Ye’pamahsã cosmologies, embedding cultural knowledge into meticulously crafted surfaces. Vilela’s paintings, part of his ongoing series The Suspension of Disbelief, evoke psychological tension through architectural and interior spaces charged with atmosphere. Meanwhile, Pompermayer’s sculptural piece Dente dourado II combines ceramic, glass, and resin into an impressive, organic-like structure that emphasizes texture and instability. Together, the trio creates a compelling conversation around image-making, materiality, and symbolic depth.
