Sharjah Art Foundation hosts major Leda Catunda Exhibition

Exploring taste, identity, and desire

The exhibition title, taken from a quote by Catunda herself, reflects the show’s thematic core—how personal taste intersects with collective desire and cultural identity. Catunda rose to prominence in the 1980s for her innovative merging of everyday objects and pop culture imagery into painterly forms, helping reshape Brazil’s contemporary art landscape.

Soft paintings and material innovation

In the 1990s, Catunda introduced her signature “soft paintings”—sculptural, tactile works that fused paint with padded textiles. Notable works like Barriga and Duas Barrigas (1993) demonstrate her approach of infusing surface with emotional depth and physical resonance.

Baroque forms and the Brazilian landscape

Her recent works take on a baroque aesthetic, filled with layered fabrics, rich textures, and organic forms. Pieces such as Duas línguas (2021), Gomos (2023), and the Escamosa series (2021–2023) reference the lush Brazilian landscape, while Mil saias (2025) transforms repurposed garments into dense, intricate assemblages. In Gotas transparentes (2021), transparent textiles filter light to create colored shadows, pushing the boundaries of material and perception.

Works on paper and archival insights

The exhibition also features Catunda’s works on paper—including watercolours, collages, and monotypes—that function as both finished pieces and preparatory studies. An archival section from the artist’s personal collection sheds light on the Brazilian art scene of the 1980s and beyond, contextualising her creative process and socio-cultural influences.

Curatorial vision

Leda Catunda: I like to like what others are liking is curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, Director and President of Sharjah Art Foundation, with curatorial support from Meera Madhu. The exhibition underscores the Foundation’s continued dedication to showcasing influential global artists while deepening cross-cultural dialogues in contemporary art.