Starting June 25, Rosewood São Paulo will welcome Ananda Nahú for a residency that will transform the White Box gallery into a living studio, expanding her work beyond the canvas. The artist, who is part of the property’s permanent collection of more than 450 works by Brazilian artists and artisans and is also responsible for the 6th floor intervention at the iconic Maternidade Filomena Matarazzo, presents a floor-to-ceiling installation that blurs the boundaries between artwork and environment, creating an immersive experience for the public.

Encantaria de Iara is the second creation in her trilogy dedicated to the universe of Brazilian encantarias, following Encantaria de Jurema, presented at the most recent edition of SP-Arte in the Rosewood São Paulo lounge. Curated by Katia D’Avillez and with exhibition design by Danilo Garcia, the show proposes a sensorial experience in which painting, architecture, and narrative intertwine, deepening immersion into the symbolic universe created by the artist.

In this project, Ananda delves into Brazilian folklore through the figure of Iara, an ancestral water spirit and symbol of mystery, seduction, feminine strength, and connection to nature. Iara lives where the river refuses to be calm; she inhabits the fold between surface and depth, between what is seen and the mystery that irresistibly draws one in. She is a freshwater mermaid, a cabocla, a sovereign presence. In the artist’s interpretation, Iara emerges as a contemporary and sovereign figure, built upon references from Tropicália, surrealism, and Brazilian popular imagination. The exhibition invites reflection on myth, memory, identity, and belonging, using vibrant colors, graphic elements, native flora references, and poetic texts integrated into the works.

The artist arrives at the exhibition with a consolidated trajectory spanning muralism and easel painting, architectural scale and intimate detail. The exhibition features six acrylic-on-canvas works that transform the exhibition space into the painting itself: immersive, vertical, and without neutrality. Measuring 150 x 110 cm each, the canvases were conceived to coexist as a single organism—each one a pole, together forming a field of force. In the paintings, the cabocla merges with nature. The female body and the forest share a single visual grammar, where roots become veins, rivers become gazes, and the jaguar becomes a symbol of power. This fusion reflects a Brazilian mythical intelligence that has always understood the continuity between woman and plant, desire and danger, beauty and abyss.

“Encantaria de Iara is a dive into the ancestral essence of Brazil’s freshwater realm—the mermaid who both enchants and devours, heals and curses. Ananda creates a space where painting ceases to be an object and becomes a territory: we enter the work as one enters water, without knowing exactly where the surface ends and mystery begins.”

- Katia D’Avillez, Exhibition Curator, Encantaria De Iara

Artist Residency / Living Studio – White Box Gallery

“Encantaria de Iara” by Ananda Nahú

June 25–30, 2026 

Exhibition - White Box Gallery

“Encantaria de Iara” by Ananda Nahú

July 2 – August 15, 2026*

Open to the public: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

*Closing date subject to change without prior notice.

Key Summary

• Rosewood São Paulo welcomes artist Ananda Nahú for an unprecedented art residency at the White Box gallery starting June 25, 2026.
• The residency presents Encantaria de Iara, the second work in the Encantarias trilogy, dedicated to female figures of power in Brazilian cultural imagination.
• The installation transforms the White Box into a living studio and immersive experience, occupying the space from floor to ceiling and dissolving boundaries between artwork and environment.
• Inspired by the mythical figure of Iara, the exhibition explores themes such as ancestry, nature, identity, memory, and belonging through vibrant colors, graphic elements, and references to Brazilian flora.
• Ananda Nahú is part of the permanent art collection of Rosewood São Paulo and is responsible for the artistic intervention on the 6th floor of the historic Maternidade Filomena Matarazzo.

FAQ

What is Ananda Nahú’s art residency at Rosewood São Paulo?

It is an unprecedented residency that transforms the White Box gallery into a living studio, allowing the public to experience an immersive artistic process developed by Ananda Nahú.

What is the Encantaria de Iara exhibition?

It is the second work in the Encantarias trilogy, a project in which Ananda Nahú explores female figures of power in Brazilian cultural imagination. The exhibition is inspired by Iara, an ancestral water spirit.

Who is Ananda Nahú?

Ananda Nahú is a Brazilian artist known for working across muralism and easel painting. She is part of the permanent art collection of Rosewood São Paulo and created the artistic intervention on the 6th floor of the Maternidade Filomena Matarazzo.

What is the concept of the exhibition?

The show reflects on myth, memory, identity, and belonging through the figure of Iara. The artist draws on Brazilian folklore, Tropicália, surrealism, and nature to create an immersive visual narrative.

How many works are part of the exhibition?

The exhibition features six acrylic-on-canvas works conceived as an integrated set, transforming the exhibition space into an extension of the artwork itself.

What themes are explored in Encantaria de Iara?

The exhibition explores ancestry, femininity, nature, spirituality, belonging, and the relationship between humans and the environment through references to Brazilian cultural imagination.

When and where can the exhibition be visited?

The residency takes place from June 25 to 30, 2026, at the White Box gallery. The Encantaria de Iara exhibition will be open to the public from July 2 to August 15, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, at the same venue.

About Rosewood São Paulo

Rosewood São Paulo is a regenerative urban oasis, where lively local culture and artistic energy flourish alongside Mother Nature. Occupying an old maternity ward and visionary vertical garden tower, designed by Pritzker Prize-winner Jean Nouvel, the hotel breathes new life into a historic enclave of the city. 

Interiors are an ode to the eclecticism of São Paulo. Each of the 181 rooms, suites and 100 Rosewood Residences are creatively curated with books, artwork and wood walls, while over 450 commissioned pieces by Brazilian talents shape the art gallery. Dining is equally culturally inspired; an homage to the city’s thriving food scene. Six restaurants and bars, led up by up-and-coming chefs, offer global flavors around the clock. 

With dynamic fitness classes, greenery-framed pools and an Asaya Spa by Guerlain, well-being here reflects the diverse rhythms of Brazil.

 Discover more: rosewoodhotels.com/sao-paulo 

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About Rosewood

Rosewood is an ever-evolving global collection of hotels, resorts, and residences, born through the discovery of remarkable places. With 43 one-of-a-kind destinations, each property celebrates the culture and community that shapes it, upholding the ideal of hospitality as mutually revitalizing. Every detail is intricately woven to tell the story of the place, offering unexpected moments of discovery and connection. Rosewood Residences extends this spirit, inspiring a life where belonging and curiosity enrich every day.

Discover more at rosewoodhotels.com

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