Exhibitions & Artistic Encounters

Exploring Culture, Memory & Imagination Through Art

Solo and collective exhibitions by Brazilian contemporary artist Mari Salmonson.

Art is a space for stories to meet, memories to resurface, and new perspectives to emerge. Across solo and collective exhibitions, Brazilian artist Mari Salmonson explores the connections between cultural heritage, personal identity, and the imagination.

Her exhibitions bring together painting, illustration, watercolor, ceramics, and other artistic expressions, drawing inspiration from Brazilian folklore, fauna and flora, spirituality, and the experiences that shape our sense of belonging.

From independent cultural spaces to established institutions, each exhibition represents a different chapter in her artistic journey, reflecting an evolving relationship between her Brazilian roots and contemporary artistic practice.

“An exhibition is more than a collection of artworks. It is a conversation between the stories I bring into the space and the memories, experiences, and interpretations that visitors bring with them.”

— Mari Salmonson

Selected Exhibitions

2026 | Museu A CASA do Objeto Brasileiro

São Paulo, Brazil

Participating in an exhibition at Museu A CASA do Objeto Brasileiro, an institution dedicated to the intersections of Brazilian design, craftsmanship, artistic expression, and material culture.

The exhibition connects Mari's artistic practice to conversations about cultural heritage, creativity, and the ways Brazilian identity is expressed through objects, images, and artistic traditions.

2021 | Narizinho 100 Anos

Collective Virtual Exhibition | Brazil

Celebrating the centenary of one of Brazilian children's literature's most recognizable characters, Narizinho 100 Anos brought artists together to reinterpret the imaginative universe created by Monteiro Lobato.

Through contemporary illustration, the exhibition connected literature, childhood memories, and Brazilian cultural heritage, exploring how familiar characters continue to inspire new generations.

The virtual exhibition reached approximately 7,000 views over three days, extending the experience beyond a physical gallery.

2019 | Folclore Brasileiro e Suas Influências

Solo Exhibition | Clube Athletico Paulistano, São Paulo, Brazil

In Folclore Brasileiro e Suas Influências (Brazilian Folklore and Its Influences), Mari explored the cultural encounters that have shaped Brazilian identity through acrylic paintings on canvas, ceramics, and watercolors.

The exhibition brought together three interconnected dimensions of Brazilian popular culture: mythological characters such as Yara, Caipora, and Saci-Pererê; religious traditions, including Catholic iconography and the Orixás of Afro-Brazilian religions; and familiar symbols of protection and good fortune, such as the four-leaf clover and the figa amulet.

Together, these elements revealed folklore as something far broader than legends. It is a living cultural language, continuously shaped by the meeting of peoples, beliefs, and traditions.

“Folklore is born from the meeting of peoples, traditions, beliefs, and stories. It is a living expression of cultures blending, transforming, and creating something new, much like Brazil itself, a country continuously shaped by the many identities and influences that make it what it is today.”

— Mari Salmonson

2018 | Negro Café

Solo Exhibition | São Paulo, Brazil

Presented at Negro Café, this solo exhibition brought Mari's paintings and illustrations into an independent cultural and social setting.

The presentation reflected her interest in making art part of everyday experiences, allowing audiences to encounter artistic narratives beyond conventional gallery environments.

Through expressive imagery and visual storytelling, the exhibition invited visitors to discover connections between imagination, observation, and personal interpretation.

2014 | Liberdade

Otto Bistrot | São Paulo, Brazil

Liberdade (Freedom) explored artistic expression through painting and illustration, reflecting a period of creative experimentation in Mari's practice.

Presented at Otto Bistrot, the exhibition created a meeting point between art and everyday social life, encouraging spontaneous encounters between visitors and the artworks.

The project reflects an enduring interest in art as a form of personal expression and visual communication.

2013 | Sofar Sounds

Art Exhibition & Live Painting | São Paulo, Brazil

An early exploration of multidisciplinary artistic experiences, Mari's participation in Sofar Sounds brought visual art into dialogue with live music and performance.

Through exhibition and live painting, the project explored the relationship between different creative languages and the energy of shared artistic experiences.

Mother's Day Showcase | Instituto Brasileiro de Moda

São Paulo, Brazil | Date to be confirmed

A creative showcase organized by Instituto Brasileiro de Moda (IBMODA), featuring Mari's artistic work in a context connecting illustration, design, and cultural expression.

The project reflects the versatility of her artistic practice and her engagement with creative initiatives beyond traditional exhibition spaces.

Beyond the Exhibition Space

Art as an Ongoing Conversation

While each exhibition explores a particular subject or moment in Mari's creative development, together they reveal recurring questions that continue to inform her work.

How do stories become part of our identity? What happens to cultural traditions as they move between generations? How can art preserve a memory while allowing it to transform?

These questions have accompanied Mari's practice from her early exhibitions in São Paulo to her contemporary work in the United States.

Today, her artistic research extends beyond galleries into public murals, editorial illustrations, cultural collaborations, and commissioned projects. Whether on canvas, paper, ceramics, or architectural surfaces, storytelling remains central to her approach.

“Stories change as they travel. They gain new meanings, new voices, and new forms. I see my artistic practice as part of that movement, finding ways to keep cultural memories alive while allowing them to become something new.”

— Mari Salmonson

Explore More

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