São Paulo Museum of Art, Art museum on Paulista Avenue, São Paulo, Brazil.
The São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) is an art museum on Avenida Paulista in São Paulo, Brazil. Its 1968 building, designed by Lina Bo Bardi, consists of a long rectangular block suspended above an open ground level, supported at each end by a thick red concrete pillar. The suspended block has a facade of closely spaced vertical dark glass panes framed by black mullions and bounded by red concrete edges. On the right pillar, white vertical text reads "MASP". The open span beneath the building is over 70 meters wide.
Businessman Assis Chateaubriand and curator Pietro Maria Bardi founded the museum in 1947, acquiring many early works through telegram communications. The current building opened in 1968 following designs by Lina Bo Bardi.
Lina Bo Bardi, the Italian-born architect who moved to Brazil with her husband Pietro Maria Bardi, designed the museum's glass easels so paintings appear to float in the gallery. Visitors can walk between the works and see both the front and back of each canvas. The display reflects her belief that museumgoers should move freely around the art rather than follow a fixed route.
The museum stands on Avenida Paulista, and the open span beneath the suspended block is used as a public square. The nearest metro is Trianon-MASP on the green line. The main galleries occupy the upper volume, reached by stairs and lifts from the ground level.
The collection includes over 8,000 objects, ranging from European paintings to Brazilian art and works from Africa and Asia. The open space beneath the building regularly serves as a gathering spot for public events and demonstrations.
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