In 1998 Brian Maguire was commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs to represent Ireland in the XXIV Bienale de São Paulo. During his stay in Brazil, Maguire worked on a series of drawings at the Centro Cultural Vila Prudente, an arts centre where about forty-five local children from the Favela Vila Prudente, aged between seven and twelve, attend classes in theatre and art. Maguire made drawings of about sixty children during his four month residency and at least two drawings of each child were completed, one was given to the child to take home, and the other drawing remained with the artist.Known as the ‘Casa da Cultura’ series it was donated to the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2000.