Harmonia Rosales e Silvana Mendes: protagonismo de artistas negras no ensino de Arte

Abstract

This study discusses the protagonism of Black women artists in Art Education, focusing on the works of Harmonia Rosales and Silvana Mendes. The research begins with a critique of the Eurocentric curriculum that still predominates in both basic and higher education in Brazil, a curriculum that renders Black bodies, narratives, and artistic productions invisible. The study proposes an anti-racist and decolonial approach, advocating for the importance of representation and the construction of visual repertoires that reflect Brazil’s cultural plurality. Drawing on the works of the selected artists, it analyzes visual strategies that reframe the presence of Black bodies—especially women—as protagonists in art history. The research also includes the implementation of a pedagogical project with Visual Arts students at UFMS, combining theory and practice through Ana Mae Barbosa’s Triangular Approach. The results indicate that anti-racist pedagogical practices broaden critical awareness, strengthen a sense of belonging, and contribute to the formation of educators committed to diversity and social justice. The study concludes that incorporating Black women artists into Art Education is a political and formative act essential for transforming narratives and promoting a more inclusive and democratic aesthetic education.