The Museu Casa do Pontal held the exhibition "Arte Popular - Art Rush" in the BNDES Gallery in Rio de Janeiro, The show brought together some 150 works by some of the most representative Brazilian artists. Besides figurative art - recognized by the unmistakable clay dolls of the Northeast, with special emphasis on Mestre Vitalino the so-called visionary or fantasy art represented by "Lampião Sereia" the iconic work by Manuel Galdino (Alto do Moura, Caruaru, PE) a sculpture that creates a bridge between the backlands and the sea. The curatorial approach included the historical aspects of the constitution of the field of art of the Brazilian people, marking its contemporaneous character.

This exhibition was also unique in that it was created in tribute to Guy Van de Beuque, director of the Museu Casa do Pontal from 1996 to 2004. He was the son of Jacques Van de Beuque (the creator of this collection of about eight thousand pieces by more than 200 Brazilian artists). Guy Van de Beuque died in January 2004, just before the opening of an exhibition of the Crafts Museum in India.