Sunday, October 10, 2010

Google Maps no Brasil

As I was browsing the internet..as I do rather frequently now..I came upon this article discussing some recent controversy amongst the google mapping project that was just completed in Brasil. It allows for street views throughout much of the country. Apparently in the process, they captured some unpleasant scenes with victims on the street which surfaced some of the realities the country faces with poverty, drugs, and violence. Here the article I read:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318426/Google-Street-View-captures-bodies-street-Brazil.html

In response there was a blog set up that allows for people to post the weird images they found whether it be disturbing or a computer glitch. Check it out. Pretty interesting.

Street Viu

Once reading about this...I naturally wanted to check out some areas I visited rather frequently when I was living in Rio. It ended up being a little addicting and was really cool to walk down the streets I traveled down on a daily basis. Brought back a lot of memories...I was trying really hard to try to pin point certain people that I knew were regulars on certain streets and areas of the city..whether they were homeless or someone working a stand..

I had luck with one. The picture below is in Humaitá which is a small neighborhood between Jardim Botanico and Botafogo. There is a man that sits on this block selling old magazines, records, and books. He is there everyday..as long as the weather is decent and I walked that block a lot on my way to the Lagoa.


This picture above was another area I had hoped to capture more closely but unfortunately, being that it wasn't a street, it was rather difficult. On the corner of this block off of Rua Voluntarios sits some little stands where people make food and sell snacks. I was a frequent visit on my way to commuting to other points in the city. The first stand was run by a mother and daughter and I would way sandwiches from them almost daily so I became a familiar face.

This next picture below is the corner block where my cousin Lu lived. I would travel to her place a lot and often spend lunch and dinner with her mother and father. It is in an area of the city called Tijuca which tourists typically don't venture unless to visit places like the soccer stadium Maracanã.


The image above is the street entrance to my cousin Katie's studio. She and I developed a lot of work in the months I spent with her. She is a marquetry artist and taught me several different techniques about the craft when I lived with her. This past year, when I was preparing and making a piece for a gallery owned by the artist Joao Machado. It was located in Ipanema and was called PEÇAUNICA Katie let me use her studio as a space to work in and create the piece. Lots of memories. She was my studio buddy and will continue to be.



One of my favorite places to visit throughout the city was located in Centro or the downtown business district of the city. It had this interesting juxtaposition of the serious, business world of Cariocas in Rio but was placed on these historical streets with colorful, historical architecture. My favorite down there is actually Arco de Teles but it isn't on a main street, so you can't navigate through it from google maps.


The image above and directly below are taken outside of Rocinha, one of the largest favelas in Rio. It passed it on a daily basis being that my cousin Katie lived in Barra and Paulinho and Nalita lived in Botafogo. I lived at both of their houses, depending on what my plan were for the day or week. The picture above is the main entrance I took to go to when I was volunteering and briefly helping out with Instituto Dois Irmãos - Two Brothers Foundation. The image below shows what those that pass by on their commute see on a regular basis. Rocinha is unavoidable and over towers the mountain side between the tunnels cars pass through on their way throughout the city.


This last image is the street my friends Brunna and Adam lived on in Lapa. For many Lapa is kind of known as party central in Rio. The streets are flooded with people and tons of clubs are open with live music and dance floors. Brunna and Adam lived a little off the main street and I would visit them frequently on our way out for the evening.

That's all for now..I'll post more as I think about..



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