With almost three decades of existence, CAPACETE is the oldest residence promoting public programs and cultural exchanges in Brazil, conceived by artist Helmut Batista in 1997. Its structure is based on supporting artistic research, an art school, a library, a collection, publications, as well as an open space for exhibitions, a shared experimental kitchen, and public talks with resident artists and partner collectives.
among the many professionals we had: Dominique Gonzales-Foerster (France), Carla Zaccagnini (Brazil), Pierre Huyghe (France), Suely Rolnik (Brazil), Silvia Federicci (USA), Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui (Bolivia), Denise Ferreira da Silva (Brazil), Daniel Steegman (Spain), Andrea Fraser (USA), Sylvère Lotringer (USA), Joachim Koester (Denmark), Harun Farocki (Germany), Rodney Graham (USA), Laura Lima (Brazil), João Modé (Brazil), Jarbas Lopes (Brazil), Ernesto Neto (Brazil), Marepe (Brazil), Raquel Garbelotti (Brazil), Wendelyn van Oldenborgh (Netherlands), Jonas Staal (Netherlands), Mariana Castillo Deball (Mexico), Shimabukuru (Japan), Leonor Antunes (Portugal), Pedro de Niemeyer Cesarino (Brazil), Raimond Chaves (Peru), Teresa Riccardi (Argentina), Max Hinderer (Bolivia), Falke Pisano (Netherlands), Julien Bismuth (France), Elf Turpin (France), Jota Mombaça (Brazil), Michelle Matzui (Brazil), Marie Hømer Westh (Denmark), Gil & Moti (Netherlands), Cintia Guedes (Brazil), Bruna Kury (Brazil), Kelly Koloza (Greece), Santiago Garcia Navarro (argentina), Mariana Lanari (Netherlands/Brazil); Rodrigo Araya Yáñez (Chile), Barbara Santos (Colombia), Ayesha Ghaoul (UK/Denmark), Anastasia Diavasti (Greece), Jorge de Leon (Guatemala), Jorge Menna Barreto (Brazil), among other importants artists, curators, and thinkers.
Trajectory in numbers | 1997 > 2025
+5000 visitors per year
+600 artists or cultural agents in residence
+800 public lectures
+24 publications [books and newspapers]
+100 seminars or workshops [long duration 2-3 days]
+27 institutional and international partnerships
+35 countries involved
Special participations:
3x São Paulo Biennial
2x Panorama of Brazilian Art
TATE Turbine Hall
Portikus in Frankfurt
Documenta14 in Athenas
We are currently organizing data, files, and records to build a timeline of all the initiatives already carried out by CAPACETE. To access a simplified history, click here.