BIOGRAPHY
Details
Adenor Gondim was born in Ruy Barbosa, in the sertão of Bahia, on June 25, 1950. He graduated in Biology from UFBA and adopted photography as a means of livelihood and self-expression. Popular religiosity became a central theme as his fascination and respect for expressions of faith grew. Over the past 50 years, he has built a significant body of work documenting popular Catholicism, Afro-Brazilian religiosity, and religious syncretism.
Among his most notable works are: the pilgrimage of Bom Jesus da Lapa, Monte Santo, Santa Brígida of Blessed Pedro Batista, the vaqueiros Masses of Canudos and Curaçá, the celebration of the Miracle of Saint Roch in Amélia Rodrigues, the rituals of the Sisterhood of the Good Death in Cachoeira, the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary of Black Men, Candomblé festivals, the open-air festivals of Salvador, the Festival of Iemanjá in Rio Vermelho, Amoreira, Ponta de Areia, and Cachoeira, the Bembé festival of Santo Amaro da Purificação, the São Joaquim fair, the 2nd of July festival, the Soul Feeders of Juazeiro, the Cãos de Jacobina, and all editions of the now-defunct Caminhada Axé, among other celebrations. In Ceará, he documented the pilgrimages of Juazeiro do Norte and Canindé.
Exhibitions
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
Por onde Andei – Exhibition at the 12th Tiradentes Photography Festival, Tiradentes, Minas Gerais, March 15–19, 2023
Por onde Andei – Exhibition at Memorial Minas Gerais do Vale, Belo Horizonte, June 30, 2022
A Salvador de Adenor Gondim, o fotógrafo da ventania – Curated by Cláudia Ad Lima, Palacete das Artes, Salvador, 2019
Photo essay published in the German photography magazine BRENNPUNKT Magazine für Fotografie 01, 2018
Irmandade de Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte – Galeria Vinícius de Moraes, Consulate of Brazil, Los Angeles, 2017
Itaylê Ogun – Galeria do Solar do Ferrão, Salvador, 2006
Itaylê Ogun – Pinacoteca do Estado, São Paulo, 2004
Romaria do Bom Jesus da Lapa – Galeria da Funarte and Museu da República, Rio de Janeiro, 1995
Aiyê Orun, Irmandade de Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte – Galeria do SEBRAE, Salvador, 1994
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
10th Pierre Verger National Photography Award - Museu de Arte da Bahia, Salvador, March 12 - May 10, 2026
Bárbara - the power of faith - Museum of Lisbon, Portugal, November 4 - December 14, 2025
A Cidade da Bahia, das Baianas e dos Baianos Também – Curated by Emanoel Araújo, Museu Afro Brasil, 2020
Foto Festival Sol Ar – Centro Dragão do Mar, Fortaleza, 2019
Nordeste – SESC, São Paulo, May 16 – August 25, 2019
Terra em Transe – Exhibition at Solar Foto Festival, Instituto Dragão do Mar, Fortaleza, December 5–9, 2018
Axé Bahia – Fowler Museum at UCLA, Los Angeles, October 2017
Espaço Pierre Verger da Fotografia Baiana – Forte de Santa Maria – Honoree, 2016
Exposition “Cap sur Rio” au Musée Olympique de Lausanne Jusqu'au - Quai d'Ouchy, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2016
Maria de Todos Nós – Commemorative exhibition for Maria Bethânia’s 50-year career – Paço Imperial, July–September 2015
Arte da Lembrança – A saudade na fotografia brasileira – Itaú Cultural, São Paulo, January – March 2015
III Bahia International Biennial, 2014
O Retrato – Curated by Diógenes Moura, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, 2012
Um Olhar Sobre o Brasil – Photography in the Construction of the Nation’s Image 1833–2003 – Curated by Boris Kossoy, 2011
Valencia Biennial – Spain, 2007
Exhibition BRESIL, L’HÉRITAGE AFRICAIN – Musée Dapper, Paris, 2005
Mostra de Fotografia Amrik – Presença Árabe na América do Sul – CCBB, Brasília, 2005
Exhibition Brasileiro Brasileiros – Museu Afro Brasil, São Paulo, 2004
Negras Memórias, Memórias de Negros: o imaginário luso-afro-brasileiro e a herança da escravidão - Galeria de Arte do Sesi, São Paulo, 2003
Coleção Pirelli/Masp de Fotografia - Museu de Arte de São Paulo, São Paulo, 2002
Acts of Faith – Brazilian Contemporary Photography, Brazil Connect – Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford, England, 2001
Mostra do Redescobrimento – Módulo Negro de Corpo e Alma – Pavilhão Padre Manuel da Nóbrega, São Paulo, 2000
Mostra do Redescobrimento – Módulo Arte Barroca – Pavilhão da Bienal, São Paulo, 2000
Brasileiro Que Nem Eu Quem Nem Quem? – Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado, São Paulo, 1999
Brasileiro Que Nem Eu Quem Nem Quem? - Ministério das Relações Exteriores, Brasília, 1998
Os Herdeiros da Noite: fragmentos do imaginário negro - Centro de Cultura de Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, 1995
A hidden view: images of Bahia, Brazil - London, United Kingdom, 1994
Awards
Pierre Verger National Photography Award – 10th Edition
BRAZIL - 2025/2026