B Biennial at T-Bone

Natalia Emerich_Brasília 247 – Art in the street, free and for everyone. This is what the Bienal do B will be like – an alternative event that will replace the 2nd International Poetry Biennial (BIP), which should have taken place in September but was canceled by the Federal District government due to lack of resources. From October 26th to 28th, the T-Bone Cultural Butcher Shop will host the literary gathering, which will bring together more than 50 poets, visual artists, and musicians in the commercial area of ​​312 North. The program includes talks, poetry readings, shows, book launches and sales, and puppet theater.

The idea for the Bienal do B arose from artists' dissatisfaction with the last-minute cancellation of BIP. As they themselves argue, the best way to protest is through culture and not letting ideas die. According to the owner of T-Bone, Luís Amorim, the initiative represents the strength that art has in the capital. "It's a collective creation and will be manifested outdoors, without bureaucracy," he said. The list of local, national, and international guests who will be at the Bienal do B confirms this.

Expectations are high. Poet Nicholas Behr sees the biennial as an opportunity for Brasília to breathe. "It's about deconstructing this mechanical and cruel reality we live in, of goals and production," says the poet, a Brasília native at heart. "Nothing is so useless, nor so necessary." According to him, a book is just a repository of words, "Poetry must leave the pages and touch the ears," he emphasizes. Behr will recite poems and participate in discussions. "It's not enough to just have titles; a poet who is a poet has to read and present their work," he says. "I'm going there to show what I can do."

Considered one of the greatest Brazilian poets, Thiago de Mello, from Amazonas and author of "Os estacións do homem" (The Statutes of Man), will be at the alternative event. "I'm not going as a professional writer, I'm going as a writer in solidarity," explains the poet, who accepted a friend's request and didn't charge to attend. In the capital, he intends to share the hope he holds within him. "Poetry is an instrument of change and the formation of consciousness, it's not just art," he says. In the conversation, Mello affirms that everyone should do their part working towards change to improve the lives of those who suffer in the country.

The Bienal do B will also include tributes. The chosen honorees are the poet Ezio Pires, the bookseller Ivan Silva from Livraria Presença, and the coordinator of the Brasília Demonstration Library, Maria da Conceição Moreira Salles. "It's wonderful to see the results of the work done at the library recognized," says Maria da Conceição. "We always try to highlight authors from Brasília and give them space to showcase their work."

Although the venues and structure of the poetry festival have changed, the host will remain the same: the president of the National Library of Brasília – and poet –, Antônio Miranda.

Artistic interaction

Music is poetry, and that's why musicians from Brasília and other cities will perform on the three literary nights and participate in discussions with the audience. Among them are Kiko Zambianchi, Jorge Mautner, Rênio Quintas, Fernanda Porto, Marcio Cipriano, and the group Sopro & Cordas.

In addition to music and poetry, the alternative biennial will feature an exhibition of local visual artists, stalls for buying and selling books, and a performance by mime artist Miqueias Paz. For children, starting at 18 pm, there will be performances by puppeteer Carlos Machado, the Pilombetagem Theatre Company, and the Circo Boneco e Riso group.

The event is an initiative of the non-governmental organization Viva Arte – conceived by Luis Amorim, owner of the T-Bone Cultural Butcher Shop. The biennial has the support of Petrobras and the voluntary contribution of the artists. "Our idea is to show that art exists independently of state support," says the spokesperson for Viva Arte and poet, Vicente Sá.