Rituals of Beauty

Rituals of Beauty

Feather and Painting: Body Decoration in the Amazon
Photo Exhibition

Opened on 18 May 2026 at the Museum of Ethnography, Budapest, Rituals of Beauty presents photographs by Belgian cultural anthropologist Gustaaf Verswijver and his wife, Martine de Roeck, introducing the body decoration, ritual attire, celebrations, and concepts of beauty of the Amazonian mẽbêngôkre (Kayapó) community. Created in collaboration between ATELIER DE_VISION and DE_FORM, the project connects graphic design, architecture, and scenography within a unified spatial narrative. The visual system draws on the patterns of body painting and the circular forms of feather ornaments, using vivid tones in communication materials and deeper atmospheric colours in the exhibition space. The spatial design creates a gradually unfolding environment in which the photographs remain the protagonists. Large-scale background images, framed works, sightlines, angled compositions, and colour-coded thematic units guide visitors through body painting, feather ornaments, ritual attire, ceremonies, and everyday life, culminating in a central immersive installation.