Salvador’s Top Contemporary Art Galleries And Museums

For more than 13 years, Fabio Pena Cal has been a point of reference for contemporary art in Salvador de Bahia. Thanks to the continuing contacts established with both artists and collectors and a deeply rooted knowledge of the market, Fabio Pena Cal is able to present only the very best of what Brazilian art has to offer. The gallery showcases the works of established artists as well as those of emerging talents such asAdrianne Gallinari, José Patrício and Florian Raiss to name but a few. Thanks to the brilliant direction of its owner, Galeria Fabio Pena Cal is always up to date on the latest trends in the world of national and international contemporary art.

Paulo Darzé is a beautiful exhibition space with more that 25 years of uninterrupted activity. The gallery’s mission is that of promoting Bahia and Brazilian artists through solo and collective exhibitions and through active participation in national and international art fairs. A yearly appointment for Salvador’s art aficionados is the gallery’s collective exhibition typically held from January until the end of February. During these months, the 600 square meters of the gallery are filled with the works of the most prominent local artists allowing the public to admire the finest examples of contemporary painting, sculpture and photography. Mario Cravo Neto, Daniel Senise and Monica Milan are only a few names that represent the excellence showcased by Paulo Darzé. Image courtesy of RV Cultura e Arte

When it first opened in 2008, RV Cultura e Arte was a one-of-a-kind experiment on the artistic landscape of Salvador de Bahia. RV Cultura e Arte has a dual nature, as it is both an exhibition space for contemporary arts and the city’s only bookstore specialized in graphic arts, comic books and manga. Some of the most interesting exhibitions that have taken place here were born from a fusion of these two facets of contemporary culture. On average, the gallery organizes four exhibitions per year but its calendar is full of events, lectures, and workshops. RV Cultura e Arte has also recently opened its own publishing house that promotes comic books and graphic novels.

This small yet fascinating museum is the ideal retreat from the bustling activity of the streets of Salvador. The villa that hosts the Palacete das Artes was designed by Rossi Baptista and was completed in 1912 in a style symbolic of the wealth and power of Bahian families; the villa remains one of the city’s most beautiful architectural masterpieces. Nowadays, the Palacete Catharino serves as a museum of modern and contemporary art with a solid permanent collection, which includes four sculptures created by French artist Auguste Rodin. Thanks to the cooperation with the Musée Rodin of Paris, the Palacete das Artes is periodically able to borrow other works from the Rodin collection for its exhibitions.

Luiz Fernando Landeiro Contemporary Art is the youngest and trendiest art gallery in Salvador de Bahia. The gallery can be found within a newly renovated building overlooking the gorgeous Praia da Paciência. The renovation of the building was carried out by Dolores Landeiro who was able to turn a dismissed site into a stunning exhibition space with 400 square meters of space spread over three floors, each with a beautiful view of the ocean. During the opening, owner Luiz Fernando Landeiro showcased various examples of the art that will set his gallery aside from the others, among which were installations, sculptures, paintings, photography, video art and performances.

If there were a contest for the most picturesque view of the city The Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia would surely win the first prize. Surrounded by towering mango trees and washed by the waves of the sea, the MAM-BA is the most important museum of contemporary art of the state of Bahia and one of the leading museums in South America. The five galleries exhibit the best local and international visual artists while the Sculpture Park, the museum’s outdoor gallery, offers a pleasant alternative to the traditional museum experience. MAM-BA’s calendar is full of activities ranging from exhibitions to cultural events and even educational activities.