Ateliê397 is dedicated to the circulation, production, and exhibition of contemporary art in Brazil. Located in Vila Madalena—a neighborhood well known for its intense cultural life in São Paulo—Ateliê397 opened its doors in 2003 and has gone through some changes in its organizational form since its inception. Currently, its main activities are editing and publishing books on artists and holding art exhibitions and interdisciplinary events, including video art sessions, performance shows, happenings, and concerts. Ateliê397’s actions are not solely based on market interests—it has a more dynamic and daring approach than that of major museum institutions. Its overriding purpose is to create an experimental agenda in line with the production of artists, critics, and curators with innovative proposals.
Coordinated by a team of curators, producers, and artists—Carolina Soares, Mariana Trevas, Marcelo Amorim, and Thais Rivitti—Ateliê397 plays an important role in encouraging discussions and creating opportunities for exhibition and reflection on artists’ current productions.
To date, Ateliê397 has held forty exhibitions and eight video-art shows, and published four books. Numerous other events occur on a regular basis and attract an audience made up mostly of professionals from the cultural area and university students.