Sunday was full of surprises, and most of them dispiriting for the groups that thought they’d made gains during last year’s protests. Here’s the five biggest. By Mauricio Savarese 1 – Marina Silva out of the run-off From presidential front-runner to the falling star of Brazil’s politics. The former environment minister was a bad player from(…)
Arquivo - Tag: urbanism
Before and after the World Cup
The very fun World Cup confounded expectations while exposing some deep truths. Was it all worth it? Above, dismantling the extra seats at São Paulo’s Itaquerão Stadium. James Young Belo Horizonte It is January. The foreign journalist sits at his desk in London (or New York or Berlin) and thinks about the World Cup. The(…)
Brazil does not have apartheid, exactly
“Apartheid” is too strong a word to describe Brazil’s serious class and race problems, says Mauricio Savarese. But it comes closer to describing the truth than the often-repeated claim that Brazil is a country without racism. Here, it’s not the state which is prejudiced. Above, youth at a planned ‘rolezinho’ in Rio de Janeiro. By(…)
Reclaim the streets
In São Paulo, taking to the streets involves far more than protests, riots and demonstrations. It’s also about taking back space from the concrete jungle for parties, festivals, public parks and shopping-mall meetups – ‘rolezinhos.’ The poster in the photo above by Claire Rigby reads “More love, please.” By Claire Rigby 2013 may be remembered(…)
What does Brazil look like?
Claire Rigby discusses, with Folha arts writer Silas Martí, the difficulty of cutting through visual stereotypes in Brazil, a country which is often too photogenic for its own good. Above, ‘Descansando na Canoa’ (1984) by Luiz Braga, courtesy Galeria da Gávea. Throughout the post and below, other selections from the SP-Arte/Foto fair. By Claire Rigby What do you(…)
Brazil 2013 – a political Big Bang
Things that seemed impossible less than a month ago are now happening every day here in Brazil. In a political Big Bang of swirling movements, causes and new protagonists, a new Brazilian universe is taking shape. Above, protestors in front of Congress, Brasília. By Claire Rigby Thousands of column inches have already been written on(…)
Virada Cultural – pride of São Paulo
São Paulo’s Virada Cultural, a 24-hour mega-party featuring more than 900 acts, put the best and the worst of São Paulo on display last weekend. Despite headlines dominated by crime, Claire Rigby had a great time, alongside millions of others, and argues that these kinds of events should be a source of pride for the(…)
Against Feliciano, an extraordinary human rights commission
Marco Feliciano, a man accused of homophobia and racism, has bizarrely managed to take over as Brazil’s human rights commissioner. So the progressive movements coalescing on the streets of downtown São Paulo set up their own commission, above. By Claire Rigby ‘Life’s too short to live in São Paulo’. So says a piece of graffiti currently(…)
Concrete and jungle: São Paulo’s Glass House
Claire Rigby visits the stunning Casa de Vidro, one of many modernist masterpieces hidden in our tropical concrete jungle. If you’re lucky enough to be in São Paulo, get there. Photo above © Claire Rigby By Claire Rigby There’s no vista quite like São Paulo’s, with its long swathes of grey-and-white apartment blocks, punctuated by a few,(…)
Cars in São Paulo – why so many?
Lots of people could save plenty of money, even if they take taxis everywhere. Above: São Paulo, a terrifyingly beautiful mega-metropolis. With too many cars. I live in São Paulo, and I can afford a car. Why don’t I buy one? Because it doesn’t make any sense. Personally, I enjoy the rare luxury of being(…)
