In February 2012, marking the 50th anniversary of Candido Portinari's death, the Portinari Project held the 'Portinari's War and Peace' exhibition in São Paulo. The opening ceremony, conducted by renowned actor and director Luis Carlos Vasconcelos, followed a similar program to the one held in Rio de Janeiro, with actress Beatriz Segall substituting for Fernanda Montenegro in the readings.
The exhibition presented, for the first time, the restored panels War and Peace. Projected by eight synchronized projectors, they created a single image on an impressive 13x8 meter screen, positioned between the two panels. This projection carefully highlighted preparatory studies for tored panels War and Peace, while synchronized stage lighting revealed intricate details in the panels themselves.
In a second space, around 100 preparatory studies for tored panels War and Peace, including works from international collections in London and Milan, were brought together for the first time in history. Historical documents, such as letters, newspaper clippings and photographs, enriched the exhibition, providing a detailed narrative of the creation of these monumental panels.
In the last space, visitors were given a comprehensive view of Portinari's diversity and creativity, something the painter himself never witnessed. An innovative projection system used state-of-the-art technology to present the painter's complete oeuvre, made up of more than five thousand pieces, in a continuous, chronological projection lasting nine hours.
The Education Program coordinated guided tours for school groups, involving participants in workshops and activities that promoted a culture of peace. This took place by deepening their knowledge of Portinari's life, work and thought, addressing issues related to the exercise of citizenship and the preservation of national heritage.
The exhibition was attended by a number of distinguished guests, including then-president Dilma Rousseff, former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, ministers and other authorities. Receiving 190,000 visitors, the exhibition obtained a spontaneous media return of more than 35 million reais. The educational program, designed especially for the 'War and Peace Project', served more than 10,000 students, including primary and secondary school children from public and private institutions, as well as spontaneous visitors for guided tours and workshops.
