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Arassari Pataxó

(1987– ) Born in the Tatuí Village, located in the Barra Velha Territory.

Arassari Pataxó, born within the Monte Pascoal National Park, belongs to a community of 274 families who live from agriculture, fishing, and handicraft production. A chief and visual artist, Arassari holds a degree in Law and works actively in the defense of Indigenous peoples and environmental protection. Among his initiatives, the planting of 60,000 native Atlantic Forest trees and the restoration of two rivers in his territory stand out. For him, art is a powerful tool, capable of carrying the voice of the Forest Peoples and strengthening the bond with Mother Nature.

At Rosewood São Paulo, Arassari dedicated his work to the entrance space of the Ballroom. The mural was created with the participation of the groups Guerreiros Aratu Pataxó and Yapuru Pataxó. He sees this place as a symbolic space for giving voice to Native Peoples. As the artist says: “I believe that where we cannot be present, our art speaks for us.”

The piece “Jibóia,” created exclusively to be placed beneath the Santa Luzia chapel, represents the root and memory of Pindorama — the ancestral name of the territory now called Brazil. The installation evokes a time when abundant nature colored the country and the spirituality of the Original Peoples was lived in harmony with the sacred. With the arrival of colonizers, large churches were built over the bodies of Indigenous ancestors, and the process of catechization began the construction of the first Portuguese colony outside of Portugal.

According to the elders, “our roots are planted in this sacred soil” — therefore, the decision to place the piece beneath the chapel is not random. The “Jibóia” symbolizes the continuous presence of the Original Peoples, their faith, and their connection to the land. The serpent, in this context, represents protection; the patterns on its body evoke the sacred and its mysteries; and the vegetal elements reveal the ancestral knowledge of healing and medicine that emerge from the forest. Even without human figures, the work transmits the energy and presence of Indigenous peoples in every line, texture, and relief.

More than a sculpture, “Jibóia” is a silent manifesto in the face of the growing threats to the environment and Indigenous culture. As one walks through the vast forest depicted, without rivers or other visible species, the viewer is confronted with the alarming reality of the country: 73% of rivers are polluted, fires and deforestation are intensifying, and biodiversity faces a serious risk of extinction. In light of this scenario, Arassari reminds us that the Original Peoples protect about 90% of Brazil’s ecosystems, acting as the true guardians of nature.

The piece also proposes a reflection on the coexistence of different forms of faith and spirituality in Brazil, reinforcing the need to respect the beliefs of the Original Peoples. “Jibóia” awakens awareness and invites each visitor to feel — with body and soul — the living force of Mother Nature and those who defend her.

Arassari Pataxó’s participation in the project was presented to the curatorship by artist and designer Maria Fernanda Paes de Barros, creator of Yankatu (https://mariafernandapaesdebarros.com.br/).

Find out more at: https://www.instagram.com/arassari_pataxo/

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