Gabriel da Silva Reis
Conference Report. December 2025
My participation in the CIMAM Annual Conference in Turin was a highly formative professional experience, offering critical insights into contemporary debates on museum governance, ethics, collections management, curatorial responsibility, and the social role of contemporary art institutions. The conference provided a unique opportunity to engage directly with international museum directors, curators, researchers, and policy-makers, fostering meaningful dialogue across diverse institutional, geographic, and socio-political contexts.
The discussions highlighted the growing responsibility of museums in addressing structural inequalities, ensuring ethical stewardship of collections, and developing transparent and accountable governance models. Topics such as restitution, institutional accountability, care-based practices, and the redefinition of professional roles within museums were particularly relevant to my practice. A key takeaway from the conference was the importance of long-term institutional planning that integrates legal, financial, and curatorial perspectives. This reinforced my understanding of museums not only as cultural spaces, but as complex organizations that require interdisciplinary approaches to ensure sustainability, public trust, and ethical integrity.
As a lawyer, curator, and cultural manager working closely with museums and cultural institutions in Brazil, the conference directly contributed to my ongoing work in governance and heritage protection. The insights gained will inform my advisory role with institutions such as the Museu Bispo do Rosário and the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, particularly in relation to collections policy, international loans, and institutional governance.
The conference also strengthened my ability to situate Brazilian institutional challenges within a global framework, enabling more strategic and informed decision-making in the negotiation of partnerships, exhibitions, and policy development.
I intend to actively share the knowledge acquired during the conference with colleagues and partner institutions in Brazil through internal meetings, advisory reports, and professional workshops. The themes addressed at CIMAM are directly applicable to current debates within Brazilian museums, especially those concerning transparency, governance, and international collaboration.
Receiving the Getty Foundation Travel Grant and participating in CIMAM represented a significant milestone in my professional trajectory. Beyond the technical and conceptual knowledge gained, the experience expanded my international network and reinforced my commitment to building ethical, inclusive, and sustainable cultural institutions. The conference has had a lasting impact on my professional practice and will continue to shape my work in the cultural sector.
Biography
Gabriel da Silva Reis is a lawyer, curator, and cultural manager who works at the intersection of law, the arts, and cultural heritage. He holds a Law degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and a postgraduate specialization in Digital Law from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), in partnership with the Institute for Technology and Society (ITS Rio). He earned a Master’s degree in Law from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG).
Gabriel has developed a hybrid career that combines legal consultancy for cultural institutions, artists, and museums with curatorial practice. His legal work specializes in copyright, contracts, and public policies for the arts. As a curator, his practice is grounded in research on memory, archives, and social justice, with a particular emphasis on artistic practices from marginalized territories.
From 2024 to 2025, he was part of the curatorial team at Museu Bispo do Rosário, collaborating on internal exhibitions and leading international negotiations for the traveling exhibitions of Arthur Bispo do Rosário’s collection. He is currently Legal Counsel for the Association of Friends of the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, where he contributes to the institution 's restoration and renovation project.
His recent curatorial projects include 100 anos da Colônia Juliano Moreira: arquivos, territórios e imaginários (Museu Bispo do Rosário, 2024–2025); Vestindo o tempo com retalhos by Monique Ribeiro (Centro Cultural Correios, 2024–2025); and Um muro no fundo da minha casa (Museu Bispo do Rosário, 2024).
Gabriel has also contributed to the forthcoming Arthur Bispo do Rosário Catalogue Raisonné (to be published in late 2025), co-authoring an essay for the volume. In addition, together with the museology team, he developed the first exhibition guideline for the Arthur Bispo do Rosário collection, based on both national and international standards of textile conservation.
Gabriel da Silva Reis, Cultural Manager and Independent Curator in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been awarded by the Getty Foundation.