Acclaimed Brazilian artist Sonia Gomes has unveiled her first U.S. solo institutional exhibition, “Ó Abre Alas!,” at Storm King Art Center in New York. Running from May 7 to November 10, 2025, the exhibition features 13 large-scale, fabric-based sculptures suspended in the open air. This marks both Gomes’s first outdoor installation and Storm King’s inaugural show spotlighting a Brazilian artist. Known for transforming found and gifted textiles into dynamic sculptural forms, Gomes’s work powerfully explores themes of memory, cultural identity, and resistance.
A Landmark Exhibition of Firsts
“Ó Abre Alas!”—translating to “Open Wings”—presents multiple firsts. Not only is this Gomes’s debut outdoor installation, it is also her first solo institutional show in the United States. For Storm King, it represents a significant expansion of the curatorial lens, being the first time a Brazilian artist has been featured in such a prominent solo capacity. The title of the exhibition references a historic Carnival march composed in 1899, evoking themes of liberation, joy, and cultural pride. This spirit resonates throughout Gomes’s suspended sculptures, which are delicately hung from the boughs of a stately oak on Museum Hill.
The open-air environment adds a dynamic dimension to the artwork. As the wind and light interact with the fabric forms, the sculptures take on a kinetic quality, almost dancing in celebration of their Afro-Brazilian heritage. Gomes uses weather-resistant fabrics and nautical ropes, blending traditional and industrial materials to create pieces that are both ephemeral and enduring.
From Law to Global Art Recognition
Sonia Gomes was born in 1948 in Caetanópolis, a Brazilian town with deep roots in the textile industry. Initially, she pursued a career in law before deciding to follow her passion for art in her mid-40s. Enrolling in the Guignard School of Art, Gomes committed fully to her artistic practice, quickly gaining recognition for her emotionally resonant and materially rich sculptures.
Her art career gained international prominence after her inclusion in the 2015 Venice Biennale. Since then, Gomes has become a key figure in contemporary sculpture, celebrated for her use of fabric and her redefinition of material hierarchies. Her work often elevates textiles—historically dismissed as craft—into the realm of high art.
Sculptural Dialogues with Nature
Adapting her work for an outdoor setting presented a new set of challenges and opportunities. Gomes replaced some of her usual delicate fabrics with more durable materials such as nylon mesh and weatherproof cloth. Yet, she retained her characteristic use of meaningful embellishments, including antique padlocks, shells, and secondhand trinkets. These objects bring layers of personal and cultural history to each piece, evoking narratives that bridge continents and generations.
In addition to the suspended sculptures, Storm King’s indoor galleries house a comprehensive selection of Gomes’s earlier works. These complement the outdoor installation and provide insight into the artist’s evolving practice and her persistent exploration of identity and transformation.
Celebrating Community and Heritage
To further connect the exhibition with its cultural roots, Storm King will host a special performance by Batalá New York, an all-women Afro-Brazilian drumming ensemble, on June 7. This event will invite visitors to experience the rhythmic vitality that underpins Gomes’s artistic vision, offering a multisensory celebration of Afro-Brazilian culture.
“Ó Abre Alas!” serves as both an artistic and cultural milestone, inviting American audiences to witness the vibrancy of Sonia Gomes’s work and the rich traditions it draws upon. Set against the scenic backdrop of Storm King, the exhibition offers a poignant, powerful dialogue between nature, history, and contemporary art.
