The exhibition, which opened on January 18 and ran until April 24, 2022, presented a look at the work of iconic photographer Sioma Breitman (1903-1980), with around 200 selected images, including some previously unseen. Born in Ukraine, the photographer chose Rio Grande do Sul as his home and portrayed the urban and rural facets of the state in more than 60 years of work.

The exhibition that inaugurated the exhibition calendar of Farol Santander Porto Alegre in 2022 is directly connected with the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the city. Large photo enlargements of up to 3mx5m, in addition to audiovisual resources, set the audience on an immersive journey in the Rio Grande do Sul capital between 1920 and 1970.

As a complementary activity to the exhibition, the lecture “The Role of Photographic Archives in the Construction of Citizenship” was held, given by Sérgio Burgi, coordinator of the Moreira Sales Institute, photographer Ricardo Chaves and Fernando Bueno, curator of the exhibition. Another activity was the screening of the short film “Sioma: the role of photography”, by Eneida Serrano and Karine Emerich, followed by a lecture with photographer Eneida Serrano about Sioma. Photographic Walks were also promoted under the command of Leopoldo Plentz and Pedro Flores, visiting some places where Sioma worked.

“Sioma Breitman, the Portrait Artist of Porto Alegre” received more than 10,500 visitors.

In the Press

“In the collection presented, around 200 images, some of them unpublished, narrate the history of the city and its people in different periods, offering the public a journey through time through the refined, poetic and critical look of its most famous portraitist.”
(GZH, 18/01/22)

“The first floor of Farol Santander features a retrospective of one of the most important photographers in the state in the 20th century. Curated by Andrea Pires and Fernando Bueno, the exhibition Sioma Breitman, the Portrait Artist of Porto Alegre, produced by Prana Filmes, displays about 200 images by the Ukrainian photographer Sioma Breitman (1903-1980), who made a career in the Rio Grande do Sul capital from 1924. ”
(Ricardo Romanoff, Matinal Jornalismo, 27/01/22)

“The curators had access to 1,000 negatives, copies and signed proofs from the Breitman family collection. The choice was to organize around 600 photographs by thematic sectors, in addition to highlighting drawings and two films made by Sioma. There is also a memorabilia space and an analogue photo lab.”
(Luciana Vicente, Correio do Povo, 19/01/22)

“To these records are joined the portraits for which Breitman is also famous: from ordinary citizens, who passed in front of the photographer’s studio, to important names in Brazilian society, such as politicians Getúlio Vargas and Luís Carlos Prestes, the maestro Heitor Villa-Lobos and the writer Jorge Amado.”
(Gustavo Foster, G1 RS, 29/01/22)

“When visiting the exhibition, visitors can see the man who lived through the Revolution of 1930 and who witnessed the Exposition of 1935. He also recorded a large number of records of the serious flood of 1941. He also stood out as an engaged actor, responsible for numerous activities around the union of its professional class to promote and defend photography.”
(Carlos Edler, Matinal Jornalismo, 05/02/22)

“— It is an unprecedented show in homage to the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, which offers the public a journey through time through a refined, poetic and critical eye. With this exhibition, we celebrate art and the city, reaffirming our commitment to rescuing the memory of Porto Alegre and strengthening our mission to continue to awaken creativity, foster culture and encourage the diversity of its inhabitants — defines Patricia Audi, vice president from Santander Brazil. ”
(GZH, 16/03/22)