Collector Bernardo Paz plans new museum in Brazil next-door to Inhotim

Brazilian art collector and former mining magnate Bernardo Paz is set to build a new museum and botanical garden adjacent to Inhotim, the institution he founded in 2006 in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais. Although Paz is no longer involved in Inhotim's leadership, his upcoming project appears to mirror its original concept of art pavilions amidst a botanical landscape.

The museum will be constructed in stages, with the inaugural pavilions opening in September 2027, estimated to cost around $195 million. This new institution will showcase Paz's extensive collection of approximately 3,000 pieces, alongside works by renowned international artists and emerging talents from Brazil and South America.

The initial phase will feature works by American artist Michael Heizer and Brazilian artists Anna Maria Maiolino and Sonia Gomes. Paz has commissioned up to 40 pavilions across the sprawling 311-acre site. The layout and purpose of the new museum closely resemble that of Inhotim, which showcases over 900 works spread over 346 acres.

Paz's vision for this new venture is to create a space for discovering fresh relationships between art and nature, as well as fostering connections between artists and audiences both local and global. Paz's curatorial team includes Allan Schwartzman, Paulo Miyada, and Fernanda Arruda, with Schwartzman remaining his chief art advisor.

Two unofficial names for the museum have been floated: Instituto Bernardo Paz and Museu das Árvores (Museum of Trees). The museum will operate as a nonprofit, governed by Paz himself who is currently funding the project. Despite facing legal troubles in the past, including a 2020 acquittal on money laundering charges, Paz has since donated a significant portion of his private collection to Inhotim.

The Brazilian arts park, on the other hand, is focusing on sustainability by repurposing existing buildings and emphasizing long-term exhibitions over the construction of new pavilions.