Brazil: Institute Inhotim

Institute Inhotim, about 1 hour by car SW of Belo Horizonte, is nature reserve interspersed with gardens and contemporary art installations. It is a rather unique place. While the colonial towns were built from gold, this palace"" was funded by iron ore, and originated from the private estate and art collection of a mining magnate. Though we are usually not huge fans of contemporary art. The setting is beautiful.

Notes to fellow travelers: Inhotim is free Wednesdays, and last Sundays of the month. Get tickets online. Bus 3787 goes to Inhotim, note the time on the schedule is departure from the Brumadinho. We caught the first bus on Sunday, the bus arrived in centro more than 20 minutes earlier than Google maps estimated. We almost missed it. John had to jump up and down, waving his arms. ;-) For return, get the bus here

We caught an early morning bus and, after a twenty-minute walk from the bus stop, arrived five minutes before the gates opened.


One of the highlights of Intohim was "Narcissus Garden" by Yayoi Kusama featuring floating orbs floating in the light breeze to form never-the-same geometric formations. Watch the video 3rd below with sound on.






It's a lakeside setting for "Invenção da Cor, Penetrável Magic square n.5, De Luxe" ("Invention of Color, Penetratable Magic Square no. 5, De Luxe") - by Hélio Oiticica


"Galleria" by Lygia Pape.


"From Mud, a Blade" by Matthew Barney, housed in a glass geodesic dome, was a wonderland for photographers, including us.




"Tartaruga" ("Turtle") by Zhang Huan.


The gardens and grounds at Inhotim are colorful and offer a place to relax; bring your blanket and picnic, and maybe stand in line at the Shade Garden.










We waited in line to get into "Desvio para o Vermelho" (Red Shift) by Cildo Meirele.




The jaboticaba fruit grows directly on the trunks and branches of the so-called Brazilian Grapetree. Wow! Tasty too; reminded us of our SE USA muscadine grape.


"Celacanto provoca maremoto" ("Coelacanth provokes seaquakes") by Adriana Varejão.


The Vandarium Orchid Nursery. Wow! One of our favorite places at Inhotim.


"Beam Drop Inhotim" by Chris Burden




Here is John, immersed in "Cosmococa" by Hélio Oiticica and Neville Almeida.


Sun-Ling, framed in Viewing Machine by Olafur Eliasso


Lygia Clark: Dialogue


And finally on the bus back to Belo Horizonte.