what’s on
copacabana sand waves
Graffiti moving in
brasil's most famous beach to gain an innovative new musem
Iconic São Paulo museum surrenders to the acclaim of brasilian street art
words by Ana Brasil
Natural beauty Contemporary art meets tropical nature in a new and exciting museum words by Natália Martino photo by Lilian Miranda
Built among century-old trees, ornamental lakes and botanical gardens, the Inhotim Museum, 40 miles from the city of Belo Horizonte, is the most interesting addition to the Brasilian contemporary art scene in recent years. Exploiting the full artistic potential of the nature reserve surrounding the museum, the space holds more than 500 works by Brasilian and international artists in six galleries, as well as works displayed in the open air. In some works, like Através, by Cildo Meireles - the artist who recently had a retrospective exhibition at the Tate Modern - visitors are invited to interact with the installation. At the centre of a large gallery, the floor is covered in tiny shards of glass which you can walk over, producing a musical sound path. Hélio Oiticica, another artist whose work has passed through the doors of the Tate, and Neville D’Almeida’s works, allow
viewers to relax in hammocks whilst they watch slideshows of designs whilst listening to Jimmy Hendrix. International artists are also wellrepresented, with works by Doris Salcedo, Jonathan Monk, Steve McQueen and Janet Cardiff. As if that weren’t enough, Inhotim also boasts 650 hectares of native Atlantic forest and tropical gardens, with rare species from Brasil and all over the world. The gardens are well tended, offering the perfect harmony between art and nature. Visitors can relax in one of the chairs made from tree-trunks, or enjoy a meal in the sophisticated restaurant whilst enjoying the view. Museu de Inhotim Rua B, 20 – Brumadinho Thu-Fri 9.30-16.30 Sat-Sun 9.30-17.30 inhotim.org.br
Copacabana beachfront will soon be radically altered as plans for the new Museum of Image and Sound (MIS) were unveiled last August. New Yorkbased practice Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s winning design beat competition from the likes of Daniel Libeskind’s and Isay Weinfeld to revitalise a sleazy section of the legendary beach. Inspired by the undulating black and white design of the beachfront pavement, the iconic building was budgeted at £22.7m and will house the original collection as well as a new conservation and memory centre making use of new media and interaction. An open air projection area at the rooftop will compete with the killer views of the Atlantic. The buildings on the site of the new museum will soon be bulldozed ending the 25-year reign of infamous Rio institution Help nightclub, a known site of prostitution and drug trafficking. It is expected that the museum will trigger a gentrification process of an otherwise decadent area of Copacabana beach.
words by Morena Madureira image by Calma (aka Stephan Doitschinoff)
In the summer of 2008, the Tate Modern left some art-lovers openmouthed when it offered up its enormous facade to international street artists and their clouds of spray-paint. amongst those selected for the historic exhibition were three Brasilians: the duo Os Gêmeos, and Nunca. Now it’s time for the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) to give in to graffiti’s charms. Under the same roof as the likes of Rembrandt, Picasso and Van Gogh, there’ll be paintings, murals, installations, photographs and videos produced for the exhibition, by six of Brasil’s most famous street artists: Carlos Dias, Daniel Melim, Ramon Martins, Titi Freak, Zezão and Calma (otherwise known as Stephan Doitschinoff). Coined as De dentro para fora/ De fora para dentro (“Inside out, Outside In”), there will be six individual shows which will result in a strong and symbolic collective exhibition. De dentro para fora/ De fora para dentro MASP 19 Nov to 5 Feb 2010 Av Paulista 1578 – São Paulo masp.art.br
the taste of an Endless Party After the inauguration of the Samba City (Cidade do Samba) in Rio de Janeiro, it’s time for Recife to turn its carnival into an all-year event. In September, the Galo de Madrugada (The Dawn Cockrel) carnival block, which has been around since 1978, initiated music shows every week. Even if you can’t spend carnival in the city, you can still see the local celebrations with their costumes and parades to the beat of rhythms like frevo and maracatú. If you get to their headquarters - in an old colonial mansion - early enough, you can also enjoy a typical lunch with traditional, regional specialities. galodamadrugada.org.br
a thoughtful kiss in Bahia The result of an ambitious agenda of cultural exchange between Brasil and France, the Bahia Rodin Museum was inaugurated in October, in Salvador. All in all, the cultural space includes 62 works by Auguste Rodin, including two of his iconic sculptures, ‘The Thinker’ and “The Kiss’, which will be on show for the next three years. It’s the first time the Paris Rodin Museum has released so many works for a single exhibition, but they are confident of its success after an itinerant exhibition through six Brasilian cities between 1995 and 2001 attracted more than a million visitors. Museu Rodin Bahia Rua da Graça, 292 – Salvador Tue-Sun 10h-18h
dillerscofidio.com
14 | Jungle Trips | 2009 - 2010
2009 - 2010 | Jungle Trips | 15 picture by mateus pereira