Tiago Sant’Ana

Santo Antônio de Jesus, Brasil, 1990

Lives and works in Salvador, Brazil.

Tiago Sant’Ana, recognized as a visual artist, curator, and PhD in Culture and Society from the Federal University of Bahia, centers his artistic practice on the exploration of Afro-diasporic narratives, with a focus on memory and history. Moreover, the artist employs various mediums, such as photography, video, and painting, to develop an aesthetic investigation that combines conceptual and political approaches, bridging identity and imagination.

Additionally, Tiago Sant’Ana’s works reflect a consistent effort to engage with contemporary social and cultural issues. On the other hand, his practice has been widely recognized by critics and curators, establishing him as one of the leading Brazilian artists of today. Consequently, the conceptual and aesthetic impact of Tiago Sant’Ana reaffirms his significance in the Brazilian visual arts scene. Thus, he remains a key reference in the discourse on contemporary art and culture.

EXPOSIÇÕES

Throughout his career, Tiago Sant’Ana has held significant solo exhibitions that highlight his artistic research and his ability to delve into themes such as memory, identity, and Afro-diasporic narratives. Among the most notable exhibitions are Estrelas Flamejantes em Manhã de Sol, presented at Galeria Alban in Salvador, Brazil (2022), and Irmãos de Barco, held at Galeria Leme in São Paulo, Brazil (2021). Additionally, his previous exhibitions, such as Aquém-mar at Senac Lapa in São Paulo (2019) and Baixa dos Sapateiros (curated by Clarissa Diniz) at Simone Cadinelli Arte Contemporânea in Rio de Janeiro (2018), reinforce his commitment to aesthetic and conceptual investigation. Another noteworthy exhibition was Casa de Purgar (curated by Ayrson Heráclito), showcased at Paço Imperial in Rio de Janeiro in 2018. These solo shows collectively establish Tiago Sant’Ana as one of the leading figures in Brazilian visual arts.

You can take a Virtual Tour of the solo exhibition “Irmãos de Barco,” 2021, featuring text by Moacir dos Anjos, at Galeria Leme.

EDUCATION

2023

PhD in Culture and Society from Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

2016

Master in Culture and Society from Universidade Federal da Bahia, Ondina, Bahia, Brazil

2011

Graduated in Social Communication from Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Cachoeira, Bahia, Brazil

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025

Fulgor Atlântico, Galeria Leme, São Paulo, Brazil

2022

Estrelas flamejantes em manhã de sol, Roberto Alban Galeria, Salvador, Brazil

2021

Irmãos de Barco, Galeria Leme, São Paulo, Brazil

2019

Aquém-mar, Senac Lapa Scipião, São Paulo, Brazil

2018

Baixa dos Sapateiros (curated by Clarissa Diniz), Simone Cadinelli Arte Contemporânea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Casa de Purgar (curated by Ayrson Heráclito), Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, Museu de Arte da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025

Complexo Brasil, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal

Floresta de infinitos (Curated by Ayrson Heráclito, Marcelo Campos, Thaís Darzé and Tiganá Santana), Casa das Histórias de Salvador, Salvador, Brazil

Debret em questão (Curated by Jacques Leenhardt e Gabriela Longman), Museu do Ipiranga, São Paulo, Brazil

The Earth, the Fire, the Water and the Winds: For a Museum of Errantry with Édouard Glissant, Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo, Brazil

Brésil Illustré: l’héritage post colonial de J.B. Debret, Maison de l’Amerique Latine, Paris, France

Afro-brasilidade, uma homenagem a dois Valentins e a um Emanoel (curated by Paulo Herkenhoff and João Victor Guimarães), FGV Arte Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Ambient Threads (curated by Luís Pinto Nunes), Kubikgallery + Galeria Leme at Espaço Museológico Museu do Arroz, Comporta, Portugal

2024

El Dorado: Myths of Gold (curated by Aimé Iglesias Lukin, Edward Sullivan e Tie Jojima), Americas Society, New York, United States

Kristallisationspunkte (curated by Marco Hompes), Kunstmuseum Heidenheim, Heidenheim, Germany

Invisible luggage (curated by Beth Rudin DeWoody, Maynard Monrow, Laura Dworkin, Zoe Lukov, Auttrianna Ward), Historic Hampton House, Miami, Estados Unidos

Eyes that listen (curated by Keyna Eleison), Center for Art, Research and Alliances, New York, United States

Antes e Agora (curated by Galciani Neves), Longe e Aqui Dentro, Museu Oscar Niemeyer, Curitiba, Brazil

Necessidade Vontade Desejo (curated by Fernanda Lopes), Galeria Athena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Cais (curated by Alana Silveira e Tomás Toledo), Galeria Galatea, Salvador, Brazil

Iniciadas – ancestralidades contemporâneas (curated by Daniel Rangel), Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

Encruzilhadas da arte Afro-brasileira (curated by Deri Andrade), CCBB Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Encruzilhadas da arte Afro-brasileira (curated by Deri Andrade), CCBB Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Dos Brasis – arte e pensamento negro (curated by Igor Simões, Marcelo Campos e Lorraine Mendes), SESC Quitandinha, Petrópolis, Brazil

Entre nós: dez anos de bolsa ZUM/IMS (curated by Thyago Nogueira, Daniele Queiroz e Ângelo Manjabosco), Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Que mar se vê afinal da minha língua? (curated by Margarida Saraiva), Casa Garden – Fundação Oriente, Macau

Régua e compasso (curated by Victor Gorgulho e Paulo Azeco), Galeria Nonada, Salvador, Brazil

Quem conta a história (curated by Allan Yzumizawa), Pinacoteca Municipal Miguel Dutra, Piracicaba, Brazil

Que mar se vê afinal da minha língua? (curated by Margarida Saraiva), Centro Cultural do Mindelo, Mindelo, Cabo Verde

Nordeste expandido: estratégias de (re)existir (curated by Jacqueline Medeiros e Cecília Gallindo Cornélio), Convento das Mercês, São Luís, Brazil

Delírio Tropical (curated by Orlando Maneschy), Pinacoteca do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil

Nise da Silveira – a revolução pelo afeto (curated by Estúdio M’Baraká), CCBB Brasília, Brasília, Brazil

Dona Fulô e outras joias negras (curated by Carol Barreto, Eneida Sanches e Marilia Panitz), Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

Último lote (curated by Daniel Rangel), Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

Um defeito de cor (curated by de Marcelo Campos, Amanda Bonan e Ana Maria Gonçalves), Sesc Pinheiros, São Paulo, Brazil

2023

Encruzilhadas da arte Afro-brasileira (curated by Deri Andrade), CCBB São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Rosas Brasileiras (curated by Giancarlo Latorraca and Paulo Von Poser), Farol Santander, São Paulo, Brazil

Um defeito de cor (curated by Marcelo Campos, Amanda Bonan and Ana Maria Gonçalves), Museu Nacional de Cultura Afro-Brasileira – MUNCAB, Bahia, Brazil

5th Bienal de Montevideo (curated by Alfons Hug), Palacio Legislativo, Uruguay

History is not the past (curated by Oliver Hardt), Wolf Kino, Germany

Essas pessoas na sala de jantar (curated by Raphael Fonseca), Museu Casa Ema Klabin, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A casa no céu, Galeria Vermelho, São Paulo, Brazil

Dos Brasis: Arte e Pensamento Negro (curated by Igor Simões, Lorraine Mendes and Marcelo Campos), Sesc Belenzinho, São Paulo, Brazil

Um oceano para lavar as mãos (curated by Marcelo Campos and Filipe Graciano), Sesc Quitandinha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Eu não enterrei meu umbigo aqui (curated by Galciani Neves), Galeria Marco Zero, Pernambuco, Brazil

Novas aquisições – Banco do Nordeste (curated by Jacqueline Medeiros and Cecília Gallindo Cornélio), Palacete das Artes, Bahia, Brazil

Além-vista (curated by Kura Arte), Casa Gabriel, São Paulo, Brazil

Entre nós: dez anos da Bolsa ZUM/IMS (curated by Thyago Nogueira), Pivô, São Paulo, Brazil

Chão da praça: obras do acervo da Pinacoteca (curated by Ana Maria Maia and Yuri Quevedo), Pinacoteca de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Brasil futuro: as formas da democracia (curadoria de Márcio Tavares, Lilia Schwarcz e Paulo Vieira), Museu Nacional da República, Casa das 11 Janelas, Museu Solar Ferrão, Brasília, Pará, Bahia, Brazil

2022

Nise da Silveira – a revolução pelo afeto (curated by Estúdio M’Baraká), Sesc Belenzinho, São Paulo, Brazil

Quilombo: Vida, problemas e aspirações do negro, Instituto Inhotim, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Atos de revolta: outros imaginários sobre independência (curated by Beatriz Lemos, Keyna Eleison, Pablo Lafuente and Thiago de Paula Souza), MAM Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Um defeito de cor (curated by Marcelo Campos, Amanda Bonan and Ana Maria Gonçalves), MAR, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Tudo o que não foi dito (curated by Felipe Morozini), ESTAR, São Paulo, Brazil

Histórias Brasileiras (curated by Adriano Pedrosa, Lilia Schwarcz, Amanda Carneiro, André Mesquita, Clarissa Diniz, Fernando Oliva, Glaucea Brito, Guilherme Giudrida, Isabella Rjeille, Sandra Benites and Tomás Toledo), MASP, São Paulo, Brazil

Encruzilhada (curated by Ayrson Heráclito and Daniel Rangel), MAM-BA, Bahia, Brazil

The Silence of Tired Tongues (curated by Raphael Fonseca), Framer Framed, Netherlands

Coleção MAR + Enciclopédia Negra (curated by Amanda Bonan, Flávio Gomes, Jaime Lauriano, Lilia Schwarcz e Marcelo Campos), Museu de Arte do Rio – MAR, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Entre a estrela e a serpente (curated by Galciani Neves), Galeria Leme, São Paulo, Brazil

2021

Enciclopédia Negra (curated by Jaime Laurino e Lilia Schwarcz), Pinacoteca do Estado, São Paulo, Brazil

Corpo-experimento (curated by Gilberto Alexandre Sobrinho), Museu de Arte do Espírito Santo, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Nise da Silveira – a revolução pelo afeto (curated by Estúdio M’Baraká), Centro Cultural Branco do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Darwin: Origens & Evolução (curated by Estúdio M’Baraká), Centro Cultural FIESP, São Paulo, Brazil

Carolina Maria de Jesus: um Brasil para os brasileiros (curated by Helio Menezes and Raquel Barreto), IMS, São Paulo, Brazil

Crônicas Cariocas (curated by Marcelo Campos, Amanda Bonan, Luiz Antônio Simas and Conceição Evaristo), Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2020

ArtDubai (curated by Marina Fokidis), Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Rua! (curated by Marcelo Campos e MAR), Museu de Arte do Rio – MAR Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Discovery What Means to Be Brazilian (curated by Hélio Menezes), Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Chicago, USA

2019

Ontem, hoje, agora (curated by Catarina Duncan), Solar dos Abacaxis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Inundação (curated by Marcelo Campos), Museu Casa do Pontal, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

MEDO/ANGST (curated by Ben J. Riepe), Weltkunstzimmer, Düsseldotf, Germany

O Rio dos navegantes (curated by Evandro Salles, Fernanda Terra, Marcelo Campos and Pollyana Quintella), Museu de Arte do Rio – MAR Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

À nortdeste (curated by Bitu Cassundé, Clarissa Diniz and Marcelo Campos), SESC 24 de maio, São Paulo, Brazil

Ounjé – A comida dos orixás (curated by Ayrson Heráclito and Maria Lago), SESC Ipiranga, São Paulo, Brazil

Virada Cultural de São Paulo (curated by Maurício Ianês), Centro Cultural São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Baile da Aurora Sincera (curated by Bernardo Mosqueira), Solar dos Abacaxis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Uma delirante celebração carnavalesca: o legado de Rosa Magalhães (curated by Leonardo Antan), Centro Municipal de Arte Hélio Oiticica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2018

Histórias Afro-Atlânticas (curated by Adriano Pedrosa, Lila Schwarcz, Ayrson Heráclito, Hélio Menezes and Tomás Toledo), MASP e Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo, Brazil

Luzes indiscretas entre colinas cônicas (curated by Marcelo Campos), Simone Cadinelli Arte Contemporânea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

14º Salão Nacional de Artes de Itajaí (curated by Célia Barros), Casa de Cultura Itajaí, Itajaí, Brazil

2017

Responder a tod_s (curated by Raphael Fonseca), Despina, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Axé Bahia: The power of art in an afro-brazilian metropolis (curated by Patrick Polk, Roberto Conduru, Sabrina Gledhill and Randal Johnson), Fowler Museum at UCLA, Los Angeles, USA

Negros Indícios (curated by Roberto Conduru), Caixa Cultural, São Paulo, Brazil

Festival Performe-se: Fronteiras borradas, fronteiras erguidas (curated by Philipe F. Augusto), Vitória, Brazil

Novas Poéticas (curated by Philipe F. Augusto), Galeria Cañizares, Salvador, Brazil

Amewa (curated by Marcelo Campos e Thiago Ortiz), Galeria Gustavo Schnoor, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2016

Orixás (curated by Marcelo Campo), Casa França-Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Reply All (curated by Raphael Fonseca), Grosvenor Gallery, Manchester, United Kingdom

2014

Salão de Artes Visuais da Bahia – Edição Especial, Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Bahia – MAM-BA, Salvador, Brazil

Salão de Artes Visuais da Bahia – Camaçari, Cidade do Saber, Camaçari, Brazil

2013

5º Encuentro de Acción en Vivo y Diferido (curated by Tzitzi Barrantes), Bogota, Colombia

13º Salão Nacional de Artes de Itajaí (curated by Josué Matos), Casa da Cultural Itajaí, Itajaí, Brazil

Mostra OSSO Latino Americana de Performances Urbanas, Trancoso, Brasil, Arraial D’Ajuda, Brazil

Salão de Artes Visuais da Bahia, Centro Cultural de Teixeira de Freitas, Teixeira de Freitas, Brazil

2012

XI Bienal do Recôncavo, Centro Cultural Dannemann, São Félix, Brazil

XI Parada Gay de Salvador, Beco dos Artistas, Salvador, Brazil

O performer e sua imagem (curated by Ricardo Biriba), Galeria Cañizares, Salvador, Brazil

2011

I Circuito Regional de Performance Bode Arte, Tecesol, Natal, Brazil

Corpo aberto Corpo fechado, Galeria Cañizares, Salvador, Brazil

2010

I Virada Cultural do Recôncavo, Centro Cultural Dannemann, São Felix, Brazil

Mostra Mandu de Performances Urbanas, Casa de Câmara e Cadeia, Cachoeira, Brazil

Corpo em prospecção, Centro de Artes, Humanidade e Letras, Cachoeira, Brazil

Instalativa, Centro de Artes, Humanidades e Letras, Cachoeira, Brazil

AWARDS

2023

Nominated for PIPA Prize, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2021

Photograph Prize ZUM, Instituto Moreira Salles, São Paulo, Brazil

2020

Soros Arts Fellowship, United States

2019

Foco ArtRio Prize, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2018

Nominated for PIPA Prize, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2014

Special mention, Salão de Artes Visuais da Bahia, Camaçari, Brazil

2013

Special mention, Salão de Artes Visuais da Bahia, Teixeira de Freitas, Brazil

Portas abertas para as Artes Visuais, Fundação Cultural do Estado da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

RESIDENCIES

2020

Capacete, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2018

HANGAR – Centro de Investigação Artística, Lisboa, Portugal

2016

Casa Comum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

COLLECTIONS

Instituto Inhotim, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Denver Art Museum, United States

Museu de Arte de São Paulo – MASP, São Paulo, Brazil

Pinacoteca de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Instituto Moreira Salles, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Coleção Moraes Barbosa, São Paulo, Brazil

Museu de Arte do Rio – MAR Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia – MAM-BA, Salvador, Brazil

Casa da Cultura da América Latina, Brasília, Brazil

Coleção Banco do Nordeste, Fortaleza, Brazil

"Irmãos de Barco" de Tiago Sant'Ana reflete passado colonial no Brasil

Arte1 Minuto

Tiago Sant'Ana - Curta!

ArtRio

Casa de Purgar, 2018

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