A Brazilian artist born and based in the northeast city of São Luís, Maranhão, Silvana Mendes is an Arts graduate student at the Federal University of Maranhão. Mendes’ practice manifests itself through a research on racial issues, territories and affirmation policies. She works with collage, painting, video and photography in pursuit of new meanings for symbols and visual narratives. She seeks to debate the places of power in works of art, the elitism and the social/racial profile of artistic movements. Through her "affectionate collages", Mendes aims for the deconstruction of negative visualities and stereotypes imposed on Black bodies in the course of Afro-Atlantic history. Recent group shows include, Dos Brasis, Sesc Quitandinha, Petrópolis (2024); Um Defeito de Cor, Museu de Arte do Rio – MAR, Rio de Janeiro (2022-2023); Carolina Maria de Jesus: A Brazil for Brazilians, Instituto Moreira Salles – IMS, São Paulo (2021-2022). Silvana Mendes will be presented by Portas Vilaseca Galeria.