Sao Paulo marks the opening of the city art museum's new building with a Renoir exhibit

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Sao Paulo marks the opening of the city art museum's new building with a Renoir exhibit

2025-04-11 13:23 Last Updated At：13:31

SAO PAULO (AP) — São Paulo is marking the opening of its famed art museum's new building with a Renoir exhibit and art lovers are already flocking to the Brazilian city.

The new, 14-story tower of Sao Paulo Museum of Art — better known as MASP after its initials and one of the country's most visited — opened its doors on March 28, bringing to completion its architectural vision 77 years after the museum was inaugurated.

The tower is named after the museum's first artistic director, Pietro Maria Bardi, and includes five exhibition galleries, two multi-purpose galleries, a restoration lab, classrooms, a restaurant, and a museum shop.

The 13 works by French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir are a special draw and treat to visitors, while others come eager to see how the original red MASP building blends with the new addition on the Paulista Avenue, Brazil's most recognizable business road.

Next month, the museum will host an exhibition of works of Claude Monet, another French impressionist and an art fan favorite in Brazil.

The new building more than doubles the museum space to 7,821 square meters (84,184 square feet), increasing MASP's exhibition capacity by 66%. Its façade is made of perforated and pleated metal sheets, which add to the brutalist style conception of the original building next to it.

Construction started in 2019 and was entirely sponsored by donors who spent about 250 million Brazilian reais ($43 million) on the project, inspired by vertical museum typologies such as those in New York City, MASP said.

“MASP is the main museum in the Southern Hemisphere in terms of European art collection," said said Paulo Vicelli, MASP’s director for experience and communication. "We have more than 11,000 works; Amedeo Modigliani, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Rafael, the great masters. But also important artists from Brazil.”

“Art can transform people, the city," he added. "Everyone who comes leaves a different person.”

The original MASP building was in a different venue for 20 years but then in 1968 moved to the Paulista Avenue. The museum — a prime example of brutalism, a form characterized by exposed concrete structures, emphasis on raw materials and monumental scale — is the work of architect Lina Bo Bardi.

Over the years, it has become one of Sao Paulo's most recognizable touristic attractions.

“MASP has grown and become bigger than its building. It was necessary to push the boundaries,” said museum director Heitor Martins. “This is a historic moment. ... Two buildings form one museum.”

An underground walkway connecting the two buildings is expected to be completed in November. Until then, visitors will have to briefly step out on the busy Paulista Avenue to move from one building to the other.

Naira Regis de Moura, a 60-year old tourist from the southern city of Porto Alegre, said she was moved when she saw MASP's new tower. She came to Sao Paulo for a concert, but found a way to squeeze a museum visit into her schedule.

“This is a landmark for Brazilian art,” she said.

AP videojournalist Tatiana Pollastri in Sao Paulo, Brazil contributed to this report.

Kawhi Leonard's 39 points lead Clippers to a 105-102 win over Nuggets to even series 1-1

2025-04-22 13:56 Last Updated At：14:01

DENVER (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting and the Los Angeles Clippers evened their first-round playoff series against the Nuggets with a 105-102 win in Denver on Monday night.

“It feels like he didn't miss a shot,” James Harden said. “His shot-making ability is elite.”

Good thing, too, because his teammates were a combined 26 of 66 for a 39% clip.

“I made shots tonight,” Leonard said. “I just keep playing, try to stay in the zone no matter if I’m making or missing shots.”

And the fifth-seeded Clippers needed every bit of his brilliance to snatch the homecourt advantage in the series from the fourth-seeded Nuggets.

“This is what Kawhi lives for, getting healthy for the playoffs,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We know if we've got a healthy Kawhi, we can win any series.”

After appearing in just two playoff games over the last two years, the 33-year-old two-time Finals MVP is healthy and looking like his old self after missed the first 34 games of the season because of lingering issues with his surgically repaired knees.

“I'm just happy I'm able to move, you know, coming out of the game feeling well,” Leonard said. “I sat and watched these playoff games the last two years, so yeah, to be front-line out there, it feels good.”

Christian Braun was long on a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left, and Nikola Jokic, who recorded his 19th career playoff triple-double, grabbed the rebound but also missed a 3, with 1 second remaining.

The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 Thursday night.

The Clippers, who lost Game 1 in overtime, haven’t lost back-to-back games since March 2-4, a stretch of 23 games, and they handed David Adelman his first loss in five games since replacing Michael Malone in a stunning move on the eve of the playoffs.

Jokic, just the third player to average a triple-double over a season, had 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists and Jamal Murray added 23 points for the Nuggets, who also got a bounce-back game from Michael Porter Jr. (15 points and 15 rebounds) after his 3-point performance in Game 1.

It wasn't enough against Leonard, who had 21 points at the break, including a pull-up 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer that broke a 52-all tie.

“To his credit, he was awesome tonight,” Adelman said.

“He just got to his spots,” Murray said. “And even when we're there he made some tough shots. He had a night. He got going and he was tough to stop.”

Leonard also had a key steal of a Jokic pass with 37 seconds remaining in the game, but Harden missed at the other end and Braun grabbed the defensive rebound with 11 seconds left.

The Nuggets committed 20 turnovers — the same number the Clippers had in Game 1 — and missed eight free throws. “That was a killer,” Adelman said.

Jokic had an uncharacteristic seven turnovers and missed 4 of 10 free throws.

Porter sprained his left shoulder in the closing minutes when he turned the ball over and hit the floor with Kris Dunn rolling over him in the scramble. Porter grimaced while getting dressed afterward and said he hoped that his shooting in L.A. won't be affected being that it was his left shoulder.

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