Museum director at São Paulo's Museu Afro Brasil Removed from Position Following Short Tenure of Nearly Two Years
In a surprising turn of events, Hélio Menezes has been dismissed as the director of the Museu Afro Brasil in São Paulo, less than 18 months after his appointment, according to Art News. The reasons behind his dismissal remain unclear, with the available information only confirming the timing of the event and the fact of his removal.
Menezes, who previously worked as a curator at the Centro Cultural São Paulo, had described the Museu Afro Brasil as the most interesting museum with the most stunning acquisitions and unique exhibitions when he was hired in 2024. However, it appears that his expectations may have clashed with the museum's budgetary limits, leading to his dismissal.
In an Instagram post, Menezes also mentioned that two board members at the museum, Wellinton Souza and Rosana Paulino, had left their posts. The post did not provide additional details about these departures or his dismissal. Menezes had criticised the decision-making structures at the museum as informal, personal, and lacking transparency, and he expressed concerns about their disconnection from the museum's diversity and Black leadership.
The Museu Afro Brasil, founded by sculptor Emanoel Araujo, is a key São Paulo institution known for its support of Afro-Brazilian artists. The museum denounced "personal attacks" directed at the chair of the board of directors by Menezes.
Menezes worked on the initial version of "Afro-Atlantic Histories" and co-organized the 2023 edition of the Bienal de São Paulo. Despite his dismissal, it is expected that he will continue to make significant contributions to the visual arts world.
[1] Art News. (2025). Hélio Menezes Dismissed as Director of Museu Afro Brasil. Retrieved from .
- Hélio Menezes' tenure as director of the Museu Afro Brasil was cut short, with his dismissal occurring less than 18 months after his appointment in 2024, as reported by Art News.
- The museum's financial constraints may have been a factor in Menezes' dismissal, as his ambitious plans for the art collection and exhibitions might have exceeded the institution's budgetary limits.
- In an Instagram post, Menezes spoke about the departure of two board members, Wellinton Souza and Rosana Paulino, but did not reveal the reasons for their departures or his own dismissal.
- Menezes expressed concerns about the informal, personal, and non-transparent decision-making structures at the museum, as well as the disconnect from the museum's emphasis on diversity and Black leadership.
- Despite his dismissal, Menezes, who worked on "Afro-Atlantic Histories" and co-organized the 2023 edition of the Bienal de São Paulo, is expected to continue making significant contributions to the visual arts world.
