Swinguerra, a new film commissioned for the Pavilion of Brazil for the 58th Venice Biennale, takes its title from swingueira, a popular dance movement in the Northeast of Brazil, but with a slight spelling twist that makes the word end in guerra, meaning war. Wagner & de Burca’s work delves into expressions of popular culture in contemporary Brazil, and their complex relationship to race, gender, identity, conflict, and desire. The artists work collaboratively with the performers, deciding all aspects of the final work collectively. Their extensive research process takes them into the heart of communities that are often considered “marginal,” where they observe the intense discipline involved in collective dance competitions. Swinguerra focuses on three distinct dance styles from the periphery of Recife, swingueira, brega funk and passinho da maloca, represented by the dance groups Cia. Extremo, Grupo La Máfia, and Bonde do Passinho/As do Passinho S.A.
This screening of Swinguerra (2019, 23 mins) will be attended by Benjamin de Burca and will take place at Cinema São Jorge on January 17th at 7pm, with free admission and subject to availability. Tickets must be picked up at the Cinema São Jorge box office on the same day from 1pm. Following the screening, we will host a conversation between Benjamin de Burca, the curator Rayne Booth and Tobi Maier, director of the Municipal Galleries
