Authorities assess “incalculable” damage to art during Brazil riot
Earlier this month, the supporters of Jair Bolsonaro stormed the Brazilian Congress after Bolsonaro lost the recent presidential election. According to multiple reports, the rioters wanted to inspire a military coup which would disrupt democracy in Brazil and put a premature end to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s time in office.
Multiple federal buildings were attacked and vandalised by Bolsonaro’s supporters. The rioters also damaged many important artworks that were present in the government buildings, creating an irreversible loss for Brazilian art history and the country’s rich cultural traditions.
In a statement, curator Rogério Carvalho said: “The value of what was destroyed is incalculable because of the history it represents. The collection is a representation of all the presidents who represented the Brazilian people during this long period that begins with [president Juscelino Kubitschek].”
While talking about the importance of the art that has been damaged, Carvalho added: “This is its historical value. From an artistic point of view, Planalto certainly has one of the most important collections in the country, especially Brazilian Modernism.”
Culture minister Margareth Menezes said that the collection is “an artistic treasure of the Brazilian people, which belongs to the nation and whose integrity needs to be respected… The idea is to create a memorial about this violence we suffered, so that it never happens again.”
