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HOW IT ALL BEGAN

The history of modern and contemporary Brazilian art has been taking place for five decades in a gallery that deserves to be called Ipanema.

Desde o seu surgimento, a Galeria de Arte Ipanema vem selando uma identidade própria no contexto da história da arte brasileira, ocupando assim um espaço de relevância fundamental para o despontar artístico no Brasil. Hoje consolidada, é considerada uma das mais importantes e antigas galerias do país.

Founded in 1965 by Luiz Sève, who has always been and continues to be in charge, the gallery also counted on the expressive work of Frederico Seve between 1968 and 1998. Its first address was Copacabana Palace, but from 1973 the gallery moved to Rua Aníbal de Mendonça, in Ipanema, on the beach block, where it has been for almost 37 years.

Always ahead of its time, Galeria Ipanema has also visited other cultural centers, developing works in São Paulo, where it settled between 1972 and 1980.  

One of the main forerunners of the modernist movement, Galeria de Arte Ipanema brings together a collection of weight and representativity with works by internationally recognized artists: Volpi, Milton Dacosta, Hélio Oiticica, Lygia Clark, Sérgio Camargo, Cruz-Diez, Soto, Mira Schendel, Vasarely, Di Cavalcanti, Portinari, Ivan Serpa, Guignard, Cícero Dias, Iberê Camargo, Antônio Bandeira, Pancetti, Tomie Ohtake, Waltércio Caldas, Frans Krajcberg, among others.

The trajectory of Galeria Ipanema is punctuated by the realization of shows of great importance and significance, among which the retrospectives of Iberê Camargo (2006) stand out, with 46 works of the artist; Milton Dacosta (2005), composed by 86 of his most significant works; Helio Oiticica (2005); and, mainly, of Alfredo Volpi (2003), with 70 works exhibited and acclaimed as a milestone among modernist exhibitions. Galeria de Arte Ipanema is directed by Luciana Sève, daughter of its founder, who has added to its impressive and remarkable trajectory on the Brazilian and international art scene.