A Gentil Carioca, Rio de Janeiro

A Gentil Carioca is a Brazilian contemporary art gallery founded in 2003 by artists Márcio Botner, Ernesto Neto, and Laura Lima. Conceived as a multifaceted space for thinking about, producing, and sharing art, the gallery places equal emphasis on experimentation, public engagement, and the commercial circulation of artworks. Today it is directed by Márcio Botner and Elsa Ravazzolo Botner, and maintains a strong connection to its original location in Rio de Janeiro’s Saara district, where its historic townhouses embody the area’s layered cultural influences.

In 2021, the gallery expanded its presence with the opening of a second exhibition space in the Higienópolis neighborhood of São Paulo, extending its reach within Brazil’s contemporary art landscape. Diversity and exchange are central to A Gentil Carioca’s identity, with a program that encourages dialogue between artists, audiences, and different cultural contexts. Through exhibitions and related initiatives, the gallery seeks to position art as a meeting point for education, conversation, and collaboration, while cultivating enduring relationships with artists, collectors, and international art communities.