Why did the Week of Modern Art provoke controversy in Brazil?

The Week of Modern Art, held in São Paulo in 1922, provoked controversy because it served as a radical rupture with the established cultural norms of the time.12

The event challenged the prevailing academicism and heavy reliance on European cultural practices that had long dominated the arts in Brazil. By introducing disruptive concepts and irreverent innovations, the organizers presented a public that was not always prepared for such a departure from tradition. The movement’s proponents actively rejected "correct" Portuguese in favor of colloquial Brazilian speech and experimented with unconventional syntax and free verse.12

Ultimately, the controversy stemmed from the event's role as a catalyst for cultural independence, as it sought to replace conservative, colonial-influenced aesthetics with a new, authentically Brazilian method of expression that emphasized native folklore, themes, and the country's unique racial and cultural heterogeneity.12