On September 3, 2026, the exhibition “Desafiando Limites, Definindo a Arte” (“Challenging Boundaries, Defining Art”) was ceremoniously opened at the historic Clube Naval in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The exhibition showcases a total of 75 works by Brazilian mouth and foot painting artists and is open to the public from September 4 to 18, 2026.
Numerous artists from the Association attended the opening ceremony. Among them were Associate Members Gonçalo Borges, Goret Chagas, and Marcelo Cunha, as well as Scholarship Holders Daniel Ferreira, Domingos Dupé Ferreira, Marcos Paulo Machado, Adolfo Neto, Bárbara Corrêa, Carlos Eduardo Fraga, Danielle Souza, Débora Ferreira, Eduardo Melo, Jefferson Maia, João Paulo Fontenele, Luciano Alves, Ricardo Gonzales, and Thiago Henrique.
The opening ceremony took place as part of the celebrations marking Brazilian Independence Day. Following speeches by the President of the Clube Naval, VDMFK President Tom Yendell, and Brazilian artist Marcelo Cunha, the exhibition was officially opened with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting.
Afterwards, guests had the opportunity to view the exhibited works and converse with the artists present. Adolfo Neto, Débora Ferreira, and Goret Chagas offered special insight into the creation of their art by demonstrating their skills in live painting sessions.
Another highlight of the evening was the completion of a collaborative artwork: Tom Yendell and artist Domingos Dupé Ferreira worked together to finish a portrait of Erich Stegmann, the founder of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists.
The painting is part of a project conceived and led by Marcelo Cunha. The creation of the image and the story behind the project are being documented in a film that is currently being subtitled in English.
This collaborative work holds special symbolic significance, particularly in the year marking the association’s 70th anniversary. It links Erich Stegmann’s legacy with the current generation of artists while also representing the international community that grew out of his initiative.
The 75 exhibited works illustrate the diversity of art created by mouth and foot painters, demonstrating that artistic expression knows no boundaries.
“Desafiando Limites, Definindo a Arte” is on display until September 18, 2026, at the Salão Nobre of the Clube Naval, Avenida Rio Branco 180, Rio de Janeiro.
