The 5th Mercosul Biennial was fundamentally characterized by the task of rethinking the current model, taking into account international parameters for curatorial projects. In this sense, it sought to promote in-depth reflection not only within the curatorial sphere, but across all organizational stages and guiding principles of the Biennial's implementation. To this end, it considered the context of the Biennial's operations within the international, national, and local landscape, assessing its impact on these different spheres, without losing sight of the basic parameters of its creation. The 5th Biennial showcased a large number of new works, giving the exhibition a significant sense of originality and novelty. The central theme of this edition of the Mercosul Biennial was the multiplicity of contemporary experiences of space: from subjective space—constructed by and within the body—to the dominant space—the urban—to the new notions of space imposed by digital culture. Titled "Histories of Art and Space," the 5th Biennial's curatorial project divided the exhibition into four major areas: From Sculpture to Installation, Transformations of Public Space, Directions in the New Space, and The Persistence of Painting. These areas were complemented by an exhibition by the honored artist Amilcar de Castro and the exhibition "Frontiers of Language," featuring artists from outside the Mercosur countries. The works from the participating countries were grouped according to their linguistic specificities and artistic modalities. Divided into segments, the exhibition project housed the works under the following categories: sculpture and installation, painting, new technologies or new media, and works in public space. The two historical exhibitions—The Persistence of Painting and From Sculpture to Installation—were subject to the same procedures and criteria. The objective of the historical exhibitions was to provide an understanding of the contemporary production present in the main areas. The 5th Biennial featured 169 artists, 163 from Latin American countries and six from Europe and the United States, including artist Max Bill in one of the historic exhibitions. Eighty-three artists from Latin American countries, excluding Brazil, participated: 22 from Chile, 15 from Mexico, 15 from Argentina, 14 from Uruguay, 9 from Paraguay, and 8 from Bolivia. There is no guest country at the 5th Biennial; Mexico, invited last year, is included as a permanent member. The 5th Biennial occupied a vast exhibition area of 24,588.91 m2, a record at the time. In addition to the exhibition "Frontiers of Language," which brought five internationally renowned artists to the Mercosul Biennial, one of the highlights of this edition was the exhibition by the honored artist, Amilcar de Castro, from Minas Gerais, one of the greatest names in Brazilian sculpture of the second half of the 20th century. The artist's work was present in all segments of the exhibition. Six monumental sculptures were installed in Largo Glênio Peres, in front of the Central Public Market, in the exhibition entitled "Monumental Sculptures by Amilcar de Castro," in the Transformations of Public Space segment. Sculptures created from 1953 to 2001 were exhibited at Warehouse A7 on the Port Wharf, in the retrospective "The Adventure of Coherence," which also featured two large-format works installed between the warehouse and the river, in the From Sculpture to Installation segment. An exhibition of 23 medium- and large-format paintings, in the Historical Experiences of the Plan segment, occupied the second floor of the Rio Grande do Sul Art Museum, which also featured a biographical room on the artist. In the (Re)invention of Space segment, at Santander Cultural, the exhibition also included a set of the artist's sculptures. Amilcar de Castro's work also featured a unique exhibition, featuring visual programming and illustrations from the artist's publications, titled Amilcar de Castro Visual Programmer, which was housed at the Hipólito José da Costa Museum, linked to the Directions of New Space movement. The 5th Mercosul Biennial's educational program met the demands of its diverse audiences, offering everything from training monitors to holding seminars, lectures, and parallel activities, aiming to broaden the theoretical and practical aspects of contemporary art. Artists Carmela Gross, José Resende, Mauro Fuke, and Waltércio Caldas designed permanent works for the public space. Source: "A Concise History of the Mercosul Biennial"