Rosana Paulino
A native of São Paulo, Brazil, Rosana Paulino (b. 1967) has made a name for herself as an artist deeply committed to exploring the place of Black women in Brazilian society, both past and present. Through these women, she examines the condition of Afro-descendant women in contemporary post-colonial and post-slavery societies from a broad perspective.
Her work seeks to unveil the origins of the gaze directed at Black female bodies—their uses, exploitation, and assigned roles—in societies where domination and violence were, and sometimes continue to be, omnipresent. By giving a voice and visibility to those who were most oppressed, objectified, and silenced, Rosana Paulino restores them to their rightful place. Her creations, exploring a wide range of artistic mediums and techniques, open up the territory of pain of those she refers to as her “ancestors.” By reactivating their memory, Rosana Paulino reminds us that it was thanks to these women that African culture managed to survive, despite displacement and deportation.