MAHKU: Acelino, Maná and Bane

The Huni Kuin Artist Movement (MAHKU) was officially launched in 2012 and is composed by artists Ibã Huni Kuin, Bane Huni Kuin, Mana Huni Kuin, Acelino Tuin, Kássia Borges, Isaka Menegildo and Cleudo Huni Kuin. The main artistic production of the collective consists of paintings and drawings, born out of a need to revive collective knowledge on the verge of extinction. Their process consists of translating huni meka songs (chants that guide prior ayahuasca rituals) as well as particular myths into images. Led by Ibã Huni Kuin, the artists interpret these songs through a lexicon of images thus creating bridges with non-Indigenous peoples while building alliances and strategies of autonomy. Mahku is a highlight of the current 60th Venice Biennale, shown in monumental scale on the facade and throughout. This special project in Basel offers the opportunity to view details close-up in an intimate setting. We will exhibit works by three of the core founding members, Acelino, Maná and Bane, divided into 3 viewing rooms.

Reception: Wednesday, June 12th, 3-6pm

Opening hours during Art Basel week:

Thu, June 13, 2-5pm

Fr, June 14, 2-5pm

Sa, June 15, 12-4pm

Su, June 16, 11-4pm

And by appointment until June 23rd

Inquiries: info@brasilea.com

ABOUT MAHKU

The collective had held so far five monographic exhibitions: MAHKU: Mirações, at Museu de Arte de São Paulo, São Paulo (2023); Vende tela, compra terra, at SBC Galerie d’Art Contemporain, Montreal (2022); Cantos de imagens, at Casa de Cultura do Parque, São Paulo (2022); Yube Inu, Yube Shanu, at Piero Atchugarry Gallery, Garzon, Uruguay (2022); Através da poética do MAHKU, at the Art Gallery of the Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil (2018); and O espírito da floresta – desenhando os cantos nixi pae, at Sesc Rio Branco , Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil (2011). They also took part in group exhibitions such as the 60^th Venice Biennale (2024); the 35^th São Paulo Biennale(2023); Histórias Indígenas, at MASP (2023); Les Vivants, at Tripostal Lille, in France (2022); Moquém Surarî: arte indígena contemporânea, at MAM-SP (2021); Véxoa: Nós sabemos, at Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo (2020); Histórias da dança, virtual exhibition at MASP (2020); Vaivém, at Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (2019); 35º Panorama de Arte Brasileira: Brasil por multiplicação, at MAM-SP (2017); Avenida Paulista, at MASP (2017); Histórias mestiças, at Instituto Tomie Ohtake (2014); and Histoires de voir, at Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, in Paris (2012). They have works in the collections of MASP, MAR, Fondation Cartier por L’art contemporain, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, among others. — Vende tela, compra terra (sell paintings, buy land), is an MAHKU initiative of territorial restitution that made possible the purchase of ten hectares of rain forest in 2014. This land is where the MAKHU Center is now located, a place for the preservation of the forest and ancestral knowledge which drives the collective’s research.

Selected press:

https://www.frieze.com/article/ela-bittencourt-mahku-venice-242

https://www.labiennale.org/en/art/2024/nucleo-contemporaneo/mahku-movimento-dos-artistas-huni-kuin

https://artreview.com/mahku-visions-masp-sao-paulo-review/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/13/arts/design/indigenous-venice-biennale.html

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/06/10/will-indigenous-artists-see-a-venice-biennale-boost-at-art-basel

MAHKU
June 12-23, 2024