Lost World – A Small Archaeological Site Zá Szpigel

Casa de Cultura do Parque presents Lost World – A Small Archaeological Site [Mundo Perdido – Pequeno Sítio Arqueológico], an installation by artist Zá Szpigel, on view from June 6 to 28, 2026. Curated by Claudio Cretti, the institution’s Creative Director, the special project offers an interactive investigative environment designed especially for children, who are invited to experience excavation processes, observation techniques, and the formulation of hypotheses about the objects they discover.

The work was developed during Zá Szpigel’s (São Paulo, 1967) residency at Sítio Camaleonte, in Piracaia, São Paulo, as part of the Art and Play – The Little Collector (Arte e Brincar – O Pequeno Colecionador) program, held between May and July 2023. Throughout the residency, the artist explored the gestures and rhythms involved in manual excavation, transforming this experience into an artwork-playground activated through public participation.

“During the excavations, the continuous rhythmic movement, the different surface layers, the ceramic fragments, and the small objects uncovered revealed the idea for the piece. The work can be activated on any ground where children can play at excavating and discovering artifacts—soil, sand, or low vegetation,” explains Szpigel. The elements that make up the archaeological site—including excavation tools and artifacts—were handcrafted from natural materials such as earth, wood, fabric, cotton thread, seeds, and metals.

“This project occupies a very important place in our program because it brings contemporary artistic production closer to educational practices. These are works that strengthen the relationship between art and audiences through direct interaction and depend on people’s participation to reveal themselves fully,” says Claudio Cretti.

Lost World – A Small Archaeological Site will be activated in two distinct contexts: during school visits scheduled by Casa de Cultura do Parque’s Education Department and during regular public visitation. For the general public, activations will take place on Saturdays at 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m., and on Sundays at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.