The 13th Mercosul Biennial proposed an equation of three concepts that seek to highlight the enigma of the unspeakable. Trauma, dream, and escape are phenomena of what cannot be said. Faced with the latency of a spirit of the times that manifests itself in the unconscious, we encounter questions whose answers lack verbal form. This poetic place of a lump in the throat, of an unexpressed cry, of a hidden secret is what we seek to map.

From this context, the 13th Mercosul Biennial was organized, presenting the work of 100 artists from 23 different countries to the public in 10 cultural spaces in Porto Alegre, as well as an Urban Art circuit.

The exhibitions were divided between works that activated the urban space and group shows presented in traditional spaces and new locations throughout the city. The ideas of disruption, sensory and reflective experience, and innovation guided and supported the selection of works made by the curators, led by chief curator Marcello Dantas and assistant curators Tarsila Riso, Laura Cattani, Munir Klamt, and Carolina Lauriano. The educational project was pedagogically curated by Germana Konrath and took place between July and November, through actions across various platforms and formats, aiming to promote the qualification of art education and the development of critical and creative thinking on an ongoing basis.