This Autumn, Sikkema Jenkins & Co. will present Cunhó, a solo exhibition of new sculptural works by Brazilian artist Maria Nepomuceno. The show takes its title from a childhood nickname given to the artist by her mother, signaling both intimacy and the deeply personal nature of her practice.

Nepomuceno creates chimerical sculptures and mixed-media wall installations, which fuse traditional Brazilian craft techniques with contemporary materials. Her works are hand-built through labour-intensive processes of sewing, weaving, beading, and ceramics, often incorporating straw, rope, and other materials. At the core of her practice lies the spiral, a form that appears throughout the natural world and, for Nepomuceno, embodies the infinite flow of time, and regeneration.

In Cunhó, the assemblages evoke a wide spectrum of biological forms, from microscopic cellular structures to vast, planetary landscapes. Her vibrant installations pulse with life and continuous transformation.

Born in 1976 in Rio de Janeiro, where she continues to live and work, Maria Nepomuceno has established herself as one of Brazil’s most inventive contemporary voices, bridging craft and conceptual practice. The exhibition is on view from September 2 until October 11.