Gallery Proposal. Viva Brasil!

Fellow artist and FRIEND, May Wilson and I have been working hard to develop a proposed exhibition for this coming spring at the Creative Alliance. The exhibition will consist of recreating some of my experiences and observations during our time traveling through Brazil. It was so full filling to create this proposal as a more thought provoking step in looking at what I was visually stimulated by in Rio. I am super excited about this project and am working on developing the first step with my google mapping project. Any input or comments are greatly appreciated!



This exhibition is a collaboration between two artists in order to reflect traveling and living in Brazil. A lot of the imagery relates directly to Rio de Janeiro, which is one of the largest and most well known cities in Brazil. Through sculpture and installations, viewers are invited to create a new visual identity of Rio by exploring the streets and interacting with the urban landscape. This kind of exploration is essential to the making of this work and these experiences are recreated for the viewer. Material choices reflect metaphors, connect deeper meaning and connect viewers to Brazil.

Upon entering the gallery space the viewer is confronted with "Abundance," a massive, cylindrical piece stacked floor to ceiling. Constructed of pallets and tree trunks, this serves as the armature for a chaotic web of telephone wires that extend across the ceiling space, enveloping the structure of the ceiling. On the joining wall are two pieces, one is "Bookbag" a cast iron bookbag resting on the gallery floor. The second, "Rua Differente" is a projection of Google Maps which walks viewers through Rua Nossa Senora and Rua Carioca. An interactive element will allow viewers to choose their own path. On the opposing wall is "Wanderless", an intricate landscape created with found newsprint native to Rio. The final piece is "Vending" a series of sculptures hanging from hooks on different racks inspired by the transient vendors that board public transit between stops throughout the city.

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..

what have I been thinking about in the last few weeks??

In my studio....





About Rio...





specific to Rocinha...






Artists...

Material...
And somehow..this will all come together in the next two weeks for my proposal...

Once again..I am slacking on the blog. I do apologize for any frequent readers. I am guessing though..that the majority have lost interest due to my inconsistantcy updates! I would like to give props to a Miss Sara Barnes. I check her blog every now and then and she is always on top of things with updates..wish I could say the same. But anyhow. I will try to make up for it now. It~s currently 530 in the morning and due to the heat today..I am having trouble sleeping. A start to an early day!! The sun is already coming up! So I wanted to share a few pics. Still haven^t taken many but am hoping the warm weather holds out for the weekend. I would like to finally get some sun. I am getting a little tired of the strange looks I get when people see how pastey white my legs are. ha ha. Though today on the bus..I noticed a girl sitting close to me that was whitter than I was and I am pretty sure she was Brazilian.



Oh and here I am..nice and white. My friend Claudinha took me to a cachoeira. A beautiful waterfall in the Foresta Tijuca. It was a nice little hike up to this place and well worth it.




I wanted to dedicate this post..mostly..to sharing my experience or experiences on the bus in Rio. Now that I am working in Barra. I commute pretty much all week from Botafogo to Barra. It is not the best commute but there are many things I enjoy about as well as many things that really irritate me. First off I would like to think I am a rather patient person..but yesterday the bus commute was driving me crazy. On average the ride lasts about 1-2 hours. It really depends on the time of day and whether or not there is an accident or an event going on in some part of the city. Lately it has tended to take around 2 hours. Ive been trying for the last several trips to find the fastest route. There is only one bus that passes right near my place and goes directly to where I need to go in Barra. The only problem is it doesn~t come very often and is rather small. Small meaning..many times you get on and people pack in until there is no room left to breathe. Mix that with 90 degree weather and no air conditioning....and you have yourself a hell of an experience..oh and when I say that pack in..I really mean it..like sardines. Just when you think another person cant squeeze in..the bus stops and someone else gets on..somehow..somewhere.

Now the more positive. The best part of the bus right is really the scenery. Since you are on the bus for so long and travel fairly far..you get to see many different areas of the city. You start in a average, typical neighborhood in the South Zone of Rio. Then travel past the botanical gardens and Gavea which are more ritzy. Then through a long tunnel that opens to more view of Gavea and the American school from above..then another tunnel that is much longer and more irritable when stopped in the middle. Sometimes when the traffic is really backed up, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is the only thing I can think about..once it opens up, it~s like a whole other world. You look to your left and see an enormous hillside home to over 200,000 people..Rocinha. One of the largest favelas in Rio and can catch quick glimpses of the streets which are always full of people walking. Past that you see the Pedra da Gavea where depending on the day you might find people hang gliding from the mountain and those that have landed on the beach...you pass though another quick tunnel that opens to a beautiful view of the ocean and on your right an luscious hillside with lots of beautiful green vegatation that has large house intermixed along the hill. I often dream of having a place like that myself..someday. There is one tunnel left that finally ends with a full view of Barra. From there it is usually smooth sailing. Another 15 minutes and Ive arrived.

Id like to document this experience more..but still havent figure out the best way to go about it..

Here are some more pics!





There was a huge flood here this past weekend and because of it..I had a hard time getting home Saturday night. I was stuck on the street and couldnt make it across the street to get home..so I stood and waited with a few other people..here are a few pics. It~s amazing how quickly the rain came and filled the streets..pretty unbelievable. I was actually on the bus in Lapa, visiting some friends and the rain started when I left for Botafogo. I got there in 20 minutes and the bus driver opened the door to let people out..and no one was exiting..the water was too high. So I road the bus past my house to another area and waited. eh.


This is the space where I will show my piece next month!


Here is where I sometimes work in Katie~s home


This is my crazy but fun friend Brunna. This was taken at a great sushi place she took me in Lapa. Later that day we went to a cool outdoor fair they have once a month with crafts and antiques. I am thinking about making some things to sell next month there.

Also..about SUSHI! My friend Tato..took me out for Sushi a few weeks ago and now I am addicted. I hadnt eaten it since Freshman year after a bad experience..now I am addicted! Man! Was I missing out!



Marina and I! In Lapa during Carnival!