The Royal Academy
Brasil! Brasil!
Sentio Space is commissioned by The Royal Academy to create an animated trailer for its headline 2025 exhibition, featuring 10 Brazilian artists representing the diversity of styles being pursued at the time.
Our trailer starts with the serene and gentle Lake, 1928, by Tarsila do Amaral, who is one of the stars of the show, celebrated worldwide as a leading female figure of Brazilian Modernism.
The Royal Academy exhibition Brasil! Brasil! includes a collection of 130 works that were created in Brazil during the 21st Century, from around 1920 to the late 1970s. During that period, Brazilian artists had started to adapt international trends, by taking inspiration from the vibrant landscapes, identities and cultures of their homeland Brazil. The result is work that mirrors modernity in its diversity, with multiple styles being explored simultaneously.
The second painting to feature in the trailer is Portrait of Oswald de Andrade by Anita Malfatti. The figure’s gaze meets our eye, and our unique consciousness is brought into focus.
You get a sense when looking at Portrait of Oswald de Andrade that the figure himself is aware that we are looking at him. He is self-conscious, almost as if he is seeing his own reflection in the mirror. An animated blink and a shift in the character’s eyes to one side amplifies the unsettled atmosphere that is present in the still image. Layers of colour on loop in the background are reminiscent of the work of the Impressionists, who had paved the way to modernity in the latter half of the 19th century.
Next up is Arranjo de Três Formas Semelhantes Dentro de Um Círculo, 1953, by Geraldo de Barros, with its long and precise name standing in contrast to simple, hypnotic visuals.
It is difficult to think of Brazil without evoking the sound of Brazil. The hustle bustle of markets. Football being played on the streets. The buzz of the rainforest. Wherever you are, sound follows. Getting the soundscaping right on this trailer was therefore a key priority. As we move from lake to gaze to hypnotic spinning circles, the atmosphere set by the sound shifts to meet the image, helping create a specific sense of place that stands out in the memory.
The final scene is Flying a Kite, 1950, by Djanira. Here one of the images of Brazil that is recognisable worldwide comes into view, with a community gathered together, flying a kite.
Given this is a trailer created for an exhibition hosted in 2025, it has to be flexible, working in a range of contexts, a demand set by online content post the dawn of social media. We created a square, horizontal and vertical version of the full trailer, as well four shorter cut downs that each feature one painting from the show, so that The Royal Academy has content that is just at home showcased on its website as it is in a sliding carousel as part of a paid media campaign.
Client: The Royal Academy
Audiovisuals: Sentio Space
Produced by Helen Hurren
Directed by Oliver Trace
Design Lead Jen Devonshire
Animator Michelle Brand
Animator Holly Warburton
Animator Oliver Trace
Animator Rob Findlay
Sound Design by Benjy Barkes
The Royal Academy
Brasil! Brasil! is an exhibition that brings together 130 works created by 10 artists living and working in Brazil, from around 1910 to the late 1970s. Sentio Space developed a multi image animated campaign, designed to build momentum across multiple touch points.
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