For Alexandre Gabriel, a partner at Sao Paolo gallery Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, an internship in film provided an unorthodox on-ramp into the center of Brazil’s art world. Now, works by friends hang across his home alongside a Robert Mapplethorpe photograph and the painting swirling across his living room ceiling (with artwork and design objects packed in below).
Gabriel lives in Praça da República, one of downtown São Paulo’s most charged and culturally layered neighborhoods, where historic architecture, nightlife, and independent art spaces collide. The atmosphere—raw and emergent—mirrors his approach to collecting. Before becoming a gallerist with footholds across Brazil and the international fair circuit, Gabriel built lasting relationships with artists, many of whom still shape his daily life today. Here, he pulls back the curtain on the lessons he’s learned and building a collection outside the more transactional corners of the art market.
Where does the story of your personal collection begin?
It really derived from being an art lover. I met many artists at a very young age, and they became friends. In 1996, when I was 19, there was this group of artists from Rio connected to the film production company where I was interning. I became close to artists like Ivens Machado, Luiz Zerbini, Barrão, and Ernesto Neto, who were all part of that circle of friends. I am very happy that I now represent their work at the gallery. Some of the first art I had at home arrived as gifts from friends.
What do you think makes the Brazilian art scene distinct right now?
The coexistence of different cultural and historical perspectives within contemporary practice. There is a dialogue between contemporary art and Indigenous, Afro-diasporic, and vernacular traditions, not as something historical or symbolic, but as ways of thinking about territory, ecology, memory, and social life. At the same time, artists here continue to work with a lot of freedom and experimentation, combining conceptual rigor with materiality, spirituality, and lived experience.
How do you see Brazilian contemporary art positioning itself today, both within the country and on the international stage?
Brazilian contemporary art has gained significant international visibility in recent years, with Brazilian artists participating in major biennials, museum exhibitions, and institutional collections around the world. At the same time, there has also been a growing interest from international institutions, curators, and collectors in engaging more directly with the Brazilian scene itself. Last year, during the São Paulo Biennial, for example, it was very noticeable how many international visitors were in the city. There seems to be a real willingness now to look more closely at what is happening here. That said, the fact that I work internationally from Brazil gives me a different perspective from someone working in New York or Berlin.
How would you characterize the identity of your collection today?
Strictly personal, no trends, no rules. Every artwork I have has its own personal history. Either out of love, admiration, or most of the time, both. The collection grew intuitively—each work carries a memory, a relationship, or a moment in time.
What was the first piece you acquired?
A small format painting by Marina Rheingantz. I bought it on my first visit to the studio, before we offered her her first show at the gallery. It is a geometric composition which looks like a seascape. It is a very dear thing to me. I keep it in my kitchen, where I spend a lot of time when I am at home.
How has the local art scene influenced the way you collect?
That’s actually a difficult question to answer. I think the concept of one “art scene,” or even the “art world,” which is a very common expression in our circuit, is hard to grasp. I like to think that I live on this planet at this particular moment of time, and that there are so many things besides art that shape the way I feel and perceive things. Art is a passion, but it is not the only lens through which I see things. Of course, after so many years, I’ve become very familiar with the self-referential aspects of contemporary art, and I am happy to be part of its recent history. But I don’t see myself as belonging to one specific scene. That said, the natural geopolitical fact that I work internationally from Brazil gives me a different perspective from someone working in New York or Berlin.
How important are art fairs to your collecting practice, and which fairs most shape your perspective?
I buy at fairs occasionally. I am normally more on a working mode and depending on the fair, there is not much time left for looking. I still prefer seeing shows at galleries or institutions.
How do you typically discover new artists or works?
I go to as many shows as possible, wherever I am. Artists often tell me to look at someone else’s work, and that’s usually the best recommendation. I’ve never invited an artist to work with the gallery from a random portfolio submission.
Is there an artist working in Brazil (or South America) right now who you’re particularly excited about?
All the artists I work with, honestly. One of the advantages of collecting as a gallerist is the level of proximity you have with the artists you work with, and therefore naturally collect over time.
Which work in your home tends to provoke the most conversation from visitors?
I have had a photograph by Mauro Restiffe in my living room for many years. It’s already been through three different apartments with me by now. It’s a large image of a family posing for a photo in the countryside, and is a kind of meta image, since the girl taking the photo has her back turned to Mauro’s camera. I like this image a lot. It is very characteristic of Restiffe’s work, always finding his way into the image in a subtle and precise way.
Matthew Lutz-Kinoy’s ceiling painting is also a very unique feature of my current apartment. I kept it for years until moving here, and when I had the right room for it. The Mapplethorpe photograph in my bedroom is very special to me. It’s dated 1976, the year I was born, and it was given to me as a gift for my 40th birthday, 10 years ago.
What feelings or ideas do you hope your collection inspires in the people who experience it?
The freedom of artistic thinking is what inspires me to work with artists. I became a gallerist before becoming a collector. I hope people feel inspired by that as well.
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