Artist creates portraits of 40 Brazilian revolutionaries from 17th to 20th century

Artist Claudia Jaguaribe created a series of portraits depicting 40 revolutionary women in Brazil between the 17th and 20th centuries for the opening of the Centro Cultural do Cebri in Rio de Janeiro.

The project aims to recover the memories of women who were largely erased from history. These figures include indigenous people, enslaved people, and intellectuals who fought for political rights, education, and personal freedoms.

Jaguaribe spent four years researching the lives of these women, many of whom left few physical traces. Because many lived before the invention of photography, the artist used a combination of drawings, sculptures, and artificial intelligence to construct their visual identities. The collection includes figures such as Esperança Garcia, an enslaved woman who wrote the first petition by a woman in Brazil, and Empress Leopoldina, who played a key role in Brazil's independence.

The exhibition is part of a cultural expansion at the Centro Cultural do Cebri, a space located in the Alto Gávea region. The portraits will remain on display until March, after which the center will host a series on Brazilian diplomacy. Jaguaribe also planned to release a book featuring the photos and biographies of the women.