“Mestre Didi: Spiritual Form” Exhibition Opening

Mestre Didi: Spiritual Form is a landmark exhibition exploring the work of the late Afro-Brazilian sculptor, writer, cultural advocate, and spiritual leader Mestre Didi (1917–2013). This is the first major U.S. exhibition of his work in 25 years, featuring over 30 of his sculptures and offering a rare glimpse into his profound spiritual and artistic legacy.

From the 1960s to the 2010s, Didi was a visionary advocate for Candomblé, the Afro-Brazilian religion that evolved from Yoruba spiritual practices. He was the first artist to transform Candomblé ritual objects into art in their own right, blending traditional materials and symbols of the orishas into a modern sculptural language.

The exhibition also includes works by Didi’s peers and contemporary artists such as Emanoel Araújo, Jorge dos Anjos, Goya Lopes, and Abdias Nascimento, highlighting the influence of African visual languages from modernism to today’s Black diasporic aesthetics.