Paulo Nazareth: Honey

HONEY delves into the work of Brazilian artist Paulo Nazareth, suggesting that perceptions of racial identity are as fluid, viscous, multifaceted, and contextually shaped as honey. Like honey, these different understandings embody flexibility and adaptability, while also carrying bittersweet connotations: the sweetness of indulgence and delight, the sting of mockery and playful sarcasm, the veneer of passive-aggressive politeness, the weight of efficiency and labor, the chaos of messiness, and even the potential for harmful reactions.

Performing at times as an Indigenous man and at others as a Black person, Nazareth navigates identity with fluidity depending on the context and circumstances. His mixed heritage—Indigenous, Afro-Brazilian, and European—enables him to challenge fixed notions of identity to subvert preconceived ideas of the self. Through his vast, surprising, and witty body of work, he persistently shifts his approach, experiments with diverse tactics, and adopts unconventional methods to reject exoticization, resist the constraints of narrow political identities, and defy expectations tied to his “authentic” self.

This exhibition is supported by Mendes Wood DM.