- The next part of the journey to Sao Paulo goes something like this: plane arrives at 7:30; catch a bus by 8am; transfer to the Mero train where I cram my body into a train car crowded with rush hour commuters and no room to hold onto anything but smooshed so closely with other people that my body doesn't really move anyway; transfer to the blue line; transfer to the green line; arrive at Clinicas station; walk a dozen blocks; arrive at Vila Madalena Hostel by 10am, 21 hours after leaving my last hostel.
- It was cold day with clouds rolling low over the hills. It reminded me of a San Francisco morning in the springtime. It's funny to travel the world and constantly find places that look and feel like other places. Maybe the world really is just a small place with superficial differences. Maybe this is the way the brain tries to make sense of new things, to assimilate and associate and familiarize and organize it into a safe place.
- I arrived at the front desk to meet Julienna who gave me a tour of this very clean, very artsy, very friendly vila. Jazz music was being piped through the courtyard bouncing off of graffiti covered walls. Ever person we passed had a hello and a smile to share. The sunlight through the mist made every corner of the place glow and I though I might have fallen asleep from travel exhaustion and found myself in a dream hostel. The delights continued as I got settled in my room and met a group of design students from Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais who were in town for Sao Paulo Design Weekend, a citywide celebration and study of arts and design. They invited me to join them and, of course, I said yes.
- I cleaned up and then men Leo, Tassio, Priscilla, Isadora, and Poppy for a walk to lunch looking at furniture shops along the way. We were also joined by our roommate and new friend, Kluyt, who has been traveling from Holland through Brasil (as it is spelled here) for a number of months now. We finally decided on a restaurant and ordred a few plates of file parmegiana (like chicken Parmesan, but with beef), rice, fries, and feijao carioquinha, the beans of Brasil. This was my first meal in Brasil and it did not go without a roaring toast with my new friends who were honored to share in the milestone event: Saúde (Cheers!)!
- After lunch we walked to catch a lecture hosted for the design weekend but we were too late and missed it. Instead, I followed them around town for the day popping into art galleries, graphic design studios, vintage stores, furniture stores, and any other place listed in the guidebook. Bought macaroons at the best bakery in Sao Paulo, called Amorim Cheri Bistro - thinking of you Tracy Harachi.
- We stopped at an Irish pup called All Black for a drink of Xingu, a Brasilian dark beer that is smooth and creamy. I also learned about a type of Brasilian cigarette that is made with hay straw, the most popular brand of which is Porta Faria, also the first major producer (No, Mom, Kevin, Grandma, etc, I did not smoke one). Over drinks I took notes on what type of boys each are looking for, listed here in case you meet their description. I included notes about my impressions of each as a way of introduction to a few major characters in my travel story:
- Leo: has a swagger to carry his warm and bright personality; he has an enthusiasm and charm and love for beauty. I think of him as someone you would root for on Project Runway or the cheerful owner of a South Beach piano bar. My song for him is Life on Mars, covered by Brasilian singer, Seu Jorge. Dream Boy: has some meat on his bones, a large face, strong features, beard, big heart.
- Tassio: tender with a sensitivity and sensibility who also knows how to strike a pose for the camera; a romantic who is also introspective. He has a gentle quality that makes him endearing and with little flashes of zeal that show his excitement for life. My song for him is Radio Gaga by Queen. Dream Boy: red hair, plays the banjo in a band, loves all animals, and is rich, and maybe Jewish.
- Priscilla: an angelic pop icon in her own right; bright red lipstick with a consistent, easy smile; you will want to wear her work someday, I am sure. She seems to be truly cosmopolitan, like a woman of the world who would find people to admire her in any city. My song for her is Robyn's, Dancing on My Own. Dream Boy: wild American, a "man, not a boy," who is also fashionable.
- Isadora: a mix between a classic and modern woman; a quite side but who lights up a room with her graceful smile. She seems to be grounded while still keeping her eyes lifted to the sky in a dreamy way that lets you know that her heart has wings. My nickname for her alter ego, Isadonna. My song for her is Crazy, originally by Patsy Cline, but covered by Susan Tedeschi and Willie Nelson. Dream Boy: dark hair, light eyes, baby face, maybe some scruff, not too tall.
- Poppy: she's the type of woman that Woody Allen hopes to write movies for; a big laugh with big eyes that you can not help but fall in love with. Poppy is in the early stages of living many vibrant lives, all of which I am sure will bring joy to those around her. My song for her is Your Song, by Elton John, covered here by Ellie Goulding. Dream Boy(s): two men (please), likes tattoos and mustaches, at least one of the men must have a beard, the other must have big hair, alternative tastes.
- Eventually we got tired and hailed a cab. Stuck in traffic, I fell asleep in the front seat. I woke up in time to jump out of the cab and walk into an apartment building behind my pals. I was unsure what we were doing until I asked and found out we were going to visit Prescilla's brother for dinner. Elevator to the 11th floor and greeted by Rosana, Priscilla's brother's wife. Her brother, Fabrícius, was soon to follow. They currently live with the Ferrão family of Eugênio, Angela, and their son Rômulo. They were ever so hospitable and also delighted that I was spending my first day in Brasil in their home: "It's a city of 20 million people and you end up here in my home!!" said Eugênio He is an inventor currently working on a product for rolling and cutting sushi and, thus, our main course consisted of sushi grade salmon rolled up with cream cheese and roasted shrimp, quickly fired with a kitchen torch - amazing! They told stories about their time living in NYC and how diverse Brooklyn was. They showed me pictures of last home in Natal, where they moved from just a couple of months ago. They talked about the culture of Brasil where people are so open to connection and making new friends and focus on the important things in life: love, family, friends, fun; not money. They told me the secrets of how to make a 30 year marriage last. We watched soap operas and they explained the plots. We drank Santo Grau cachaca, a liquor made from sugar cane. We drank more beer. They opened a bottle of champagne. They opened another bottle of champagne. We ate a spread of fruits, olives, quail eggs, and nuts. We laughed, spoke openly, joked inappropriately. It was the most joyful evening I could have hoped for and I felt as though I was adopted by a new Brasilian family on my first day.
- When we left we walked to Rua Augusta, an area of town with many clubs and bars and music venues. We bought a bottle of catuaba, an infusion made from the bark of a Brasilian tree and considered an aphrodisiac which seems appropriate for a night of clubbing. We checked out a number of spots, some with entry fees as much as $40 and an open bar. The club we reserved online earlier in the day had a line 2 blocks long and when we could not sweet talk our way past the front of the line we gave up. Eventually, my lack of sleep caught up with me and I grabbed a cab home. I would have to wait till tomorrow to hear the stories of a night of dancing. I really could not image a better first day in Brasil. I go to bed both pleased with the start of this leg of my trip and heavy hearing the news of the terrible loss of life in Egypt after the military worked to clear out protesters.
17.08.2013
- The award goes to Jen Green for first blog comment! Thanks for the note, Jen! The teacher in me is trying to think of new ways to make this blog interactive. Our stories become more meaningful and in new ways when we share them with others and I would love to create some space to engage in some bloggy conversation about travel. More posts to come on this.
- I said good morning to my group of new friends who got home at 5am (glad I took the cab). Some went for breakfast, others went shopping; I took a hot shower. Priscilla and I ended up being ready to leave around the same time and so we walked just a couple of blocks over to Parca Benedito Calixto, a large park that turns into a flea market every Saturday. Old phones, antique lights, vintage records, unique crafts, original art, the most beautiful rings I have seen in a long time, live music, and a man selling small art dioramas made with reused materials. It's hard not to shop on this trip (as I think I may have said before) but I don't have much room in my bag or money to burn. That said, I did buy a small metal rosary. I am not a practicing Catholic but have Catholic family roots and find some sense of familiarity and comfort in the rituals while being fascinated by the imagery, its diversity in practice throughout the world, and the incredible influence it has had on history in with constructive and destructive impacts.
- The group met up and the slit into new factions with Leo, Poppy, Isadora, and I heading for a lunch of feijoada at Pinheiro de Alim. This is the national dish of Brasil, a mixture of meats slowly cooked with black beans and spices. It was a tasty new entree to the cuisine of the country. During lunch I used an an idiom joke, "How many hipsters does it take to change a light-bulb?" (answer: "It's a really obscure number; you've probably never heard of it. Thanks, Kevin). I then spent the next 10 minutes trying to explain the structure of the joke and how it operates before it was funny. That will teach me.
- Poppy told me about her alter ego, Bubu Ventania (Ventania means wind storm), who helped her express herself and feel more engaged in the world in the way she wanted. Bubu now takes a back seat to Diana Valentina, who sounds like a confident and graceful woman. I love this idea of playing a character in order to grow in a desired way, slowly allowing the new personality seep inside and become a part of who you are. Fake it till you make it! This has been a useful tool for me and it was great to think back on the roles I have played to become the person I am and think about what to name my next alter ego and what he will teach me. Erine is suspect of this process and gives me a wry look. I told zir to be quiet and finish zirs lunch.
- After lunch we stopped into Mercado Pop, described on the website as "a permanent traveling multicultural space that expresses itself in multiple languages with characteristics linked to alternative presentation of new talent and new trends in the areas of Fashion, Art, Design and Music." We let a local designer named Omar Rosario who produced beautiful work, some of which Poppy will be wearing out tonight.
- A few more stores and then back home to rest with cuddle piles on bunk beds between naps. Priscilla, Leo, Tassio and I went for dinner at Habibi's, a middle-eastern fast food joint popular in Brasil. I had a plate of stuffed grape leaves, cabbage rolls, stuffed zucchini, roasted meat, and a side of tomato sauce. It was pretty good and very filling. Good for a night of dancing ahead. We grabbed a cab from Habibi's and grabbed a beer at a pizza joint while waiting for Isadora and Poppy. A man sold Poppy a stuffed monkey which has now become our new group member, named Soraya, though I am still trying to get a sense of what the name represents - every Brasilian we meet seems to understand.
- Time to find a bar. We wandered until we found Funhouse, a bar/dance club with a cirque style where we made new friends with Junior, Henrique (Rique), and Gabriel who all work in pharmaceuticals. Rique is working as a research coordinator for a polio vaccine trial mostly occurring in central america. Naturally, we had lots to talk about. Junior also gave me information about GRAACC, a program to increase access to services for children experiencing cancer. Gabriel talked with me about the "Little Brasilian Way," which expresses "the idea of getting what you want through “unconventional” ways... [with] a negative connotation because it suggests taking unfair advantage or even using corruption. However, the expressions can also have a positive connotation, implying the use of creative, unusual and inventive skills to get something, to solve your problems, without breaking the law or affecting others in a negative way." . Oh yeah, the music and dancing were fun too. That is, it was fun until I got tired and decided to get a cab at 4am. Day: done.
18.08.2013
- Kevin! How many days has it been since I have have seen your beautiful face? Thanks for the chat this morning. I love you more than ever and I tell everyone.
- It's still cold. I am wearing two shirts, a wool layer, a coat, and long underwear. Good to stay warm as one heads to a street fair, a 36th annual Vila Madalena neighborhood event! We walked around looking at artisan crafts. I bought an eye mask to replace the one I left in San Jose. Live music flowed through the streets from two stages. The roads and sidewalks were flooded with people despite the cold and the proximity of other humans kept our bodies and spirits warm. We even met a family who was happy to be photographed with our new friend Soraya (the stuffed monkey).
- We stopped for lunch where I had my first coxinha, a pear shaped pasty filled with chicken and then deep fried. It is rich and creamy and salty with crispy outside and soft, gooey inside. Also had a chicken salad that was about the size of my head. My grandmother was reading my blog and commented to my mother that I must be putting on a few pounds on this trip. Sorry grandma, too much walking to gain weight yet. I'll eat harder!
- A little more shopping and then a cab to Ibirepura Park to for the 11th annual Bourbon Street Festival which brings the music of New Orleans to Sao Paulo. We arrived to the funky sounds of Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and I laughed a bit to think that I came all the way to South America to hear music from the Southern United States. Then again, NOLA and Brasil are sorta the mardi gras / carnival hubs of the world, right? We ran into Omar, the designer friend from Mercado Pop, and then ran into a group of Isadora's friends with whom we occupied a plot of grass on a far end of the concert area and playing drinking games, mostly in Portuguese... which means I won, of course. I ended up chatting at length with Guillerme, a social services student who talked about using Marxism as a lens for social work practice, words my profession would be scared to say back in the USA. Salsicha, a journalism student, provided me a list of alternative news sources to read for a different perspective on the sociopolitical situation in Brasil, including Carta Capital Magazine, Midia Ninja's Facebook page (started along with the protests in June). He also recommended two documentaries, "Cronicamente Inviavel" and "Flem do Cidadao Kane," both about Brasilian society and big media. They, with their pal Lucas, also gave me a list of music artists from Brasil to YouTube including Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Jorge Benjor, Tim Maia, O Rappa, Lenine, Criolo, Gilberto Gil (famous for The Girl from Ipanema), and Elis Regina. My education continues. When will I find time to study, I wonder? Oh, sorry for not linking all of these. Do you realize how much time that takes?! Really.
- We walked to catch a cab, singing John Lennon's Let It Be, standing beneath the legislative assembly building where a group of activists is permanently camped out. They had covered the railings and light poles with political signs that I cannot read but will use Translation.Babylon.Com to understand. In the distance, the Obelisk of Sao Paulo, erected as a symbol of the Constitutional Revolution in 1932 wherein the people of the State of Sao Paulo stated an uprising to oust the President Getúlio Vargas and his rule by decree after a 1930 coup d'état in 1930. A social history continues to be written on a proud foundation.
- On the way home, Ernie asked me if we were ever going to end an evening in Brasil before 2am. I told zir that it is possible we won't.
19.08.2013
- It is a sad day in Sao Paulo as I say goodbye to my new friends, the Brasilaian Brat Pack. Leo gifted me a wonderful book about the project working between his design program and the favela (a low income community) near Belo Horizonte which helps women to create small business collectives creating and selling textile crafts. If you read Portuguese, I invite you over to read it to me over a glass of wine when I get home. It was a truly special gift to remember the wonderful new friend who made the gesture. They all signed a balloon for me too which sits at the foot of my bed to remind me of the wonderful friends who welcomed me with open arms to Brasil.
- Alone in Brasil, it was time to take the reins of my own desitny and itinerary. Fist stop on solo-tour day: a train ride to Liberade, the Japanese district where immigrants began to settle in 1912 and now hosts the largest population of Japanese people living outside of Japan in all the world. A short walk took me to the Catedral de Se, an impressive structure with a history dating back to the first church built on the site in 1589 and the towers of the modern cathedral only finished in 1967. In the park in front of the cathedral a crowd had gathered with banners for the Movimento da Populacao de Rua, the Movement of the Homeless People, which is "actively engaged in the the struggle against this discrimination by giving a voice to those who have long been socially and politically silenced." Near the rally, a circle of canvases stood with images depicting the struggles for people who are homeless. A short distance away I came to the Patio do Coligio, a colonial church where a plaque announces this as the place where the city was founded in 1554. Beneath the words, written in the language of the colonizing people, slept a man without a home. Writing this now I have a chance to research rates of homelessness in Brasil and some critical though on the issues.
- My next stop was the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil which was hosting a tour entitled "Maters of the Renaissance Masterpieces from Italy" with a focus on the works of Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio). It was impressive, of course, but another experience of "classic" and "fine" art that left me still hungry for work that gave me some context for Brasil. It is interesting to be in a city large enough and with enough resources to host such an exhibit and a wonderful opportunity for Brasilians to participate in a global experience of art history. Thankfully, the city also boasts numerous venues showcasing Brasilian art which I don't think I have seen an internationally traveling show for in the United States which certainly must say something about which art is "valuable" to global art history.
- I tried to make another tourist stop but it was closed already. Took a train to another tourist spot which was also closed. Walked to an arts center; closed. Time to give up and go home, I think. I did find myself entranced by a saxophone/drum jazz duo, Sax in the Beats, with the two musicians wearing animal masks playing pop hits in a plaza, which was well worth the otherwise fruitless trip to this part of town.
- I stopped at the store to get food to cook dinner and found sun dried tomato quinoa pasta! In the kitchen ready to prep, I met Faissal, a gentleman from Morocco who offered me the rest of the tomato and eggplant dish he made which was great because the whole building smelled so wonderful from his cooking that I was already salivating. He owns a shop selling scarves in Marrakesh which basically means that he runs something like my version of heaven and is certainly on my list of must-do's in Morocco next year!
- Back in my room I talked with my roomie, Ydriss, a man from Geneva (actually France, near Geneva) who runs a music school called Groove Guitar teaching rock guitar, mostly to kiddos. What I am saying is that is like the French Jack Black. We both took a rest and then agreed to go out for some music. Ernie was tired and decided to stay home so Ydriss and I took a quick cab ride and arrived at Grazie a Dio to see Daniel Groove Ceara, a Brasilian musician who mixes "rock, cheesy and MPB (musica popular Brasileira)," according to the website. Ydriss and I talked at length about a certain life choice he is in the process of making. Little did he know what taking a social worker out for a drink meant; below is a picture of some of the diagrams of our therapy session. Michael Light, International Social Worker. After my second Manhattan I found myself dancing with a woman who turned out to be the lead singer's wife. I told him after the show that his music is beautiful but his wife is more beautiful; he embraced me with jovial cheers.
- Got home and had a message from Kevin who had received his gift! Long story short, he told me I could have all the lovely moments I dream of with him if I had just brought him a banana for the day he forgot to take one to work for a snack. Thank you, Amazon Fresh, for delivering a bunch of organic bananas to Kevin's home this evening along with a vegan molten chocolate cake that comes in a small mason jar that you pop in the over as-is for 20 minutes and then enjoy! He was clearly touched by the gesture and then I got emotional (which I am sober and am more after two Manhattans). Little ways to say, "I love you, and I am not too far away for too long, really."
20.08.2013
- My first stop today is the Museum of Art of Sao Paulo, a beautiful structure in the middle of town on Paulista Ave (Paulista is a name for someone Sao Paulo is called). Honestly, I was a bit dissapointd to exit the elevator on the first floor to discover an exhibit of the works of Lucian Freud, grandson of Sigmund a prolific painter and etcher (among other mediums). Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed getting to know a bit more about the man and his work. I especially loved Painter's Garden (2003-4) (has wiki really cataloged everything?) and the photo of him painting the portrait of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II in 2001 which I remember making headlines for it's crude and unflattering portrayal of the monarch (as was his style for all portraits). It's just that I was hoping to see art by Brasilian artists today. Maybe on the next floor.
- Going up. Second floor off the elevator and read, Romanticism: The Art of Enthusiasm. Sigh. More Europeans. Ok, I paid my dues and I am going to get my moneys worth! (Actually, it was the free day at the museum. I like supporting local economies and all but free just sounds better). The show was well curated with great context and history given for the evolution of romanticism in Western art. Among the notations were several quotes by Georg Philipp Friedrich von Hardenberg, pseudonym, Novalis, a poet, author, and philosopher from German who died in 1801 at the age of 28 who wrote of achieving world harmony with the help of poetry. A quote at the entrance to the exhibit: "Everything that is seen from afar becomes poetry; far away mountains, far way people, far away events. Everything (thus) becomes romantic." Interesting words, says this far away man. Another quote contends that "The world needs to become romantic. Then we will find again its original meaning... Endowing the commonplace with higher significance, the vulgar with a mysterious aspect, the familiar with the dignity of what is unknown, the finite with an aura of endlessness, I make it romantic." Kevin, I may have a crush on a man who has been dead for 212 years. I suspect you will want to settle this in a duel. It was still a beautiful exhibit. Tell me, does anyone else ever feel the deep compulsive desire to scribble on a Monet?
My favourite works from the show:
- Van Gogh, A Walk at Midnight; Stone Bench at Asylum at Saint-Remy
- Feliz Francois Georges Philibert Zien, The Canal Grande at Venice
- Prado, Street Sweepers
- Bernardelli, Interior with Girl Reading
- Degas, Four Ballet Dancers on Stage; Woman Drying Left Leg; Woman Drying Left Arm
- Latrec, Monsouir Fourcade
- Boldini, Lady with a Straw Hat
- Manet, The Artist Point of Marcelin Desbootin
- Modigliani, Renee
- Gauguin (because art history can make you uncomfortable with your taste)
- Bosch, The Temptation of St. Anthony
- Chegal, Cattle Dealer
- Dali, Horseman
- Mabe, King Dreams
- Monaly, Overture (a Brazilian artist!)
- Ohtake, Composition in Yellow
- Ferrari, Untitled (1990)
Another exhibit titled Gods and Madonnas: Art of the Sacred. Showing: El Greco, Mazzvoli, Bellini, del Bigallo, and others. Exhaustion beginning to set in.
Then.... FotoBienalMASP, the first annual edition photography and video exhibit with a goal to "stay tuned with the global scenario and makes itself also accessible either to foreign and Brasilian artists and photographers, in meeting their most distinctive perspectives, aesthetics and languages." This inaugural show focuses on "how to understand and employ, today, photography by means of recent communication technologies, as well as its relationship to other media, such as painting and video." Every piece in the collection contained a wealth of social and political insight and stepped into the tensions in all levels of society and spheres of culture, agitating the senses and the psyche of the participant. Representing only artists from Brasil and other South American countries, this was exactly the exhibit I had been looking for in a major venue in Brasil! Below are listed all of the artists showing for your Googling pleasure (act local, art global!), with annotations and links for my my favourite works (as if someone is actually reading this or clicking these links):
- Albano Afonso (Brasil) - creates enhanced photos with enlarged pixels to geometric shapes which question how much detail we see in the world around us, especially in the natural environment on in the broad view of a society
- Berna Reale (Brasil) - photography and video of symbolic SWAT-like police guard with a muzzle riding a red-dyed horse through empty city streets to represent police violence and oppression and 'the blood in the corners of every city' which was as rhythmic and surreal and disturbing as the context of the content.
- Caio Reiswitz
- Canal Motoboy
- Carla Zacagnini
- Dora Longo Bahia (Brasil) - oil on canvas diptych comparative imagery between Goya's Third of May, 1808 with a photo from the Gulf War of the 1990's.
- Fernanda Magalhaes
- Fernando Arias (Columbia) - four videos playing simultaneously of a person from the military, a revolutionary, a person from an urban area, and a person from a rural area, slowly removing layers of clothing until they are simply human bodies in unique spaces
- Gordona Manic
- Luiz Braga
- Marcelo Moscheta
- Marcelo Tinoco
- Marina Abramovic
- Odires Mlaszho
- Oscar Munoz (Columbia) - videos of portrait painting on rocks with water which begin to fade before they are finished, a comment on those dissapeared in Columbia during the height of the drug conflicts in the 1980's and 1990's
- Alfredo Jaar (Chile) - commentary on the 1st of May image of key US figures watching the assassination of Osama Bin Laden in the Situation Room and the public reaction (or lack thereof) of the social response to the image; diptych video of two nude men, symbolic members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, vigorously and continually washing themselves in a natural pool to represent the impossibility to cleanse oneself of the atrocities we inflict
- Rochelle Costi (Brasil) - using historical images of Sao Paulo to create a modern portrayal of Brasilian heritage
- Andre Cepeda
- Cia de Foto (Brasil) - one of the first photography collectives with members who came from photojournalism backgrounds who now sign their works with a collective signature as art is considered "something too good to be done on one's own."
- Cinthia Marcelle
- Fabiano Rodrigues (Brasil) - skateboarded and brilliant photographer, Rodrigues records images of his rides through, on, under, across, and mid-air-within beautiful built landscapes contrasting modern movement and the human form with romanticism of architecture
- Coletivo Garapa (Brasil) - a multimedia group that creates "a space for collective creation" showing an assemblage of historical images from the tragic Joelma Building fire in Brasil in 1974 which claimed up to 189 lives, paired with modern images which create a reflective impression of the original photos
- Isidro Blasco
- Ivan Grillo
- Jared Dominico
- Joao Castilho (Brasil) - video one depicts a hostage situation to comment on our media relationship to human violence; video two, Abysses, shows "another form of human violence" in the geopolitical struggle in human migration
- Leonardo Mouramateus
- Lourival Crquinha
- Mauro Restiffe
- Pedro Motta
- Pedro David
- Rodrigo Braga
- Yuri Firmeza
- Claudia Jaguaribe
- Rosangela Renno
- If you actually read the last 1200 words you are probably exhausted. As was I after my five hour visit to the museum which I enjoyed just a bit longer than I expected. With the afternoon fading I decided to catch the Metro out to buy bus tickets for me an Ydriss to go to Rio de Janeiro on Friday. I will be glad to have the company for the long bus ride and someone to explore the city with for a few days before he heads home to Geneva. On the ride to the bus terminal I had to hop off and take photos of the sun setting over the city and canal. I find a great deal of beauty in the urban landscape, where the ingenuity, audacity, magnificence, and injustice of human creation grows up from the perfect earth toward an unforgiving sky.
- I had a quick dinner near the Edificio Italia (Italian Building), now the second tallest building in Sao Paulo. Humble tourist moment for the day: misreading the menu and ordering a giant plate of french fries for dinner instead of the chicken. Good thing I also ordered the Bolinos de Bacalhau, a side of salted cod fritters. So, a totally fried, somewhat unexpected, and delicious dinner.
- I waled a short distance from dinner over to Matilha Cultural, an arts center/event space/cafe/bar that promotes and encourages the development of new artists and social action in Sao Paulo. The lower level was currently hosting a collection of photos and paintings depicting the protests throughout Brasil in June and the social issues the activists were working to bring attention to. They tell a very different story than the mass media images do and this, I think, is one reason that art is essential to create a democratic society and why social media can be a valuable catalyst for grassroots change. Upstairs was a showing of, Something in the Air, a French movie (with Portuguese subtitles) about a group of young Europeans searching for a way to continue the cultural revolution after the weeks of violent demonstrations in May of 1968 in Paris. A French film with Portuguese subtitles which means I had to grasp all two hours of content strictly through context but was moved by it none the less. I caught the start of a hip-hop DJ show downstairs before I left. I am impressed with this space and think I might need to create something like it in Seattle when I get home.
- My next stop: Tom Jazz to see Banda Mantiqueira, billed for their repertoire of Brasilian music with special arrangements for their big-band covering works of the nations past and contemporary musical icons. Roberto, the managed for the band, noted my English language at the front door and welcomed me to join a table with his friend, Sue, a woman from London who is back visiting friends she made when she lived here for a while nearly 20 years ago. Also at our table, Sylvia, and Fernando and Analousisa with their daughter Fracesca. Another group of hospitable Brasilians though I am certain now that this is the norm more than the exception. They gave me lots of recommendations of places to visit and even invited to musical that Fracesca is in at her high school. I have also taken on a new title: Michael Light, Bohemian Socialite. I am having business cards made. I joked with Ernie that zir business cards can say Ernie Ilusório, Companion Extraordinaire. Zirs sense of humor appreciated the compliment.
- After then show, Sylvia and I shared a cab home. She told me about her time living in New York City while her husband was studying. She also talked about the troubles of Sao Paulo education, transportation, and poverty. For someone with whom I share so little time and conversation, I feel I will dearly miss Sylvia. She has a certain gracefulness that creates an aura of peace all around her.
- Back home I ran into Leon, the architecture student from Munich who is studying here for a year, and a new friend, Luiz, a philosopher and psychotherapist from Rio who is here studying screen writing. We talked about everything and anything from family dynamics to social privilege in education. Ernie was quick to point out the role of internalized oppression in educational attainment, something which Paulo Freire, Brasilian educator and activist, writes about in his seminal work, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Ernie lent me zirs copy to read.
- We also discussed homicide rates in Brasil which experienced an overall increase from 1998 to 2008 (according to a report from the Instituto Sangari) but with greatly divergent rates between regions with a drop of nearly 40% in the southeast region (which includes Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo) and nearly a 74% increase in the northeast region. This has occurred as the Gross National Income in Brasil has quadrupled in the past 10 years. This too has been unequally distributed in the country with the southeast region accounting for more than 55% of the wealth (with a GNI on par with Australia) and the northeast region only possessing a bit more than 13% (with a GNI equivalent to Columbia). According to the World Bank, the GINI Coefficient (an indicator that describes income in/equality in a country, with a score of 0 being perfect equality and a score of 100 being perfect inequality) was noted at 55 in Brasil in 2009, a bit higher than the 2007 score of the United States of America at 45. For some perspective back home, The Huffington Post reported Washington DC (GINI 43) with about the same income inequality as Moscow (GINI 42) while Los Angeles (GINI 48) scored right alongside Beijing (48). Despite these drops in murder rates, Brasil and Sao Paulo are still considered critically criminalized and people take precautions to avoid a bevy of financially motivated attacks. The distribution of wealth and the experience of social inequality is important to consider when we think about the root of social problems and the opportunities to change them. This is also where I assure my loved ones that I am residing in safer areas of the cities and taking recommended safety measures and listening to advice on how to minimize my risk.
21.08.2013
- Finally taking time to catch up on blog stuff. I have felt detached from writing but think I needed time to be in my life here and not as much on my computer. I do not keep a journal at home and, let's face it, this is more than just a journal. It take a lot of energy to write as I process my thoughts and emotions as they come, research the things I am taking note of, and trying to articulate some of my experience with photos and videos. I am also working on longer essays about social justice concepts that related to my travels which will come (much) later and those take even more mental energy. But, I like having "work" to do while I am out and about. It is nice to share what is happening with me and create a record for my child(ren) to read someday about Dad's misadventures. I write this morning while playing DJ for myself on YouTube, stumbling across this John Mayer song that I sang a cappella for Monica Vaughan on her 21st birthday at open mic night at Vinyl Club in Ashland, Oregon, circa 2003.
- Ydriss and I went for lunch down the street at Meu Rico Portuguese where I ate two days ago. Today was a similar meal but this time with pork sausage. We lingered a while over an espresso and enjoyed the warm, spring air which feels oddly like Autumn in California to me at the moment. Ernie was starving and ate the rest of my meal and then recited I, Too, Sing America, by Langston Hughes.
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
- Back to hostel and talked with the owner of the hostel about the art scene in Sao Paulo. He had some great tips and told me about a social justice oriented tour in Rio that I might enjoy. Our first stop on today's art tour was Beco deBatman (Batman's Ally) which is covered on every surface by graffiti art; one of the most painted sections of one of the most painted cities in Latin America. It's amazing to see how art can be integrated into the lived public spaces of communities and not be locked up behind concrete and glass with fees and restrictions from representation. I think this must demonstrate and encourage expression in society.
- We followed the streets up to Galeria Choque Cultural (Culture Shock Gallery) where I fell in love with another artist, Stephan Doitschinoff (also known as Calma), who's work is decidedly spiritual and political and always captivating. The introduction to his recent, sold out, book contends that "Densely coded, each work is like a stage where an iconographic performance takes place. On it we can always ascertain the coexistence of opposing forces which, nevertheless, relate through communication and sharing." There was a video playing as well about the years he lived in a small community in Brasil where he commenced painting the facades of homes, businesses, and public spaces to fulfill a dream to paint a whole city, all without cost to the willing residents. A portion of the short documentary of his work, Temporal, can be seen on Youtube and you can also watch the TED talk he gave. The woman running the gallery today was very kind and informative and even gave us each a free companion book to the most recent exhibit.
- From here we headed over to the Center for Jewish Culture which is built to look like a giant Torah. This is more of an events and education center than a museum or gallery but they did have a wonderful collection of metalwork art by Paul Bordhin which stretched from the main lobby and cafe where Ydriss and I had a drink, a pastry, and some a couple of truffles. The most impressive was a large metal tree which reminded me of the one found in the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle.
- We explored the building for a while and then got a cab home where Leon, the architecture student from Germany, invited me to accompany him and two of his colleagues to a party a few kilometers away. A quick walk later we arrived at Doc Dog Brasil, a small fashion boutique which was hosting the evening's promotional open-house event. We stood in a long line that snaked through the small space which afforded us time to browse their collection. My fravourite item was a R$700 scarf (around $300 USD). Good thing the cocktails were free. There was a DJ and live band which made for good dancing. I ran into Omar again, the designer from Mercado Pop. I am starting to think that Sao Paulo, a city of 11 million people, is not that big after all. At some point I decided I was tired and it was time to leave the party. That, and the police came and shut the party down for noise violations. Column A, column B.
- Back home I met my new roommate, Cesar, who is studying law and researching the urban development work of the UN through UN Habitat. In his words, "There are lots of poor people in the world who don't have houses or minimal conditions of life. Housing, equity, justice, and development benefits must be to all people not to small groups of people in the cities. We need to work with these themes in urban development which is not just about housing but an ability to live with dignity." This made me think about articles I read when taking a law class on human rights at UW about collaborative interventions between social workers and other health and legal professionals to promote human rights education and advocacy. If you are reading between the lines in my blog you might be able to see the direction my career is taking. When you figure it out, maybe you could email me and clue me in.
22.08.2013
- Another slow start. Brasil does not seem to let me sleep. I met Ydriss and went for lunch. We were in search of feijoada but couldn't find a restaurant serving it today. It takes a long time to make and is a daily special at most restaurants, not a regular menu item. We were finally pointed in the direction of a place that served it and ordered promptly with a side of polenta fries, another common snack in Brasil. It was a wonderful meal but I should have actually looked at the menu before ordering as the feijoada was R$77 and our total bill came to R$111 (just over $50 USD). An expensive lunch but worth the price.
- I split up from Ydriss for some touring on my last day in Sao Paulo for a while. I started at the Banespa Building, inspired by the Empire State Building and the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. Constuction began in 1939 for the state bank of Sao Paulo and the 528 foot tall structure was completed in 1947. The lobby was beautifully created in with marble with an amazing chandelier. I waited in line for the elevator to 34th floor and then walked up to the 36th floor where I climbed the spiral staircase to the observation deck. Of course, the views of the city were impressive and really gave a sense of scale to this sprawling metropolis.
- Leaving downtown I walked toward Jardim da Luz (Garden of Light) for my next three activities. Or, I thought I was walking in that direction until I realized I was lost and ended up taking two trains to get to the correct spot. The Luz Metro station is a beautiful building that also houses the commuter trains and has been remodeled to its original luster. A public piano in lobby hosts a variety of individuals who stop to share a bit of music for the people passing by. Sweet moments.
- The station also houses the Museum of the Portuguese Language which is (appropriately) created exclusively in Portuguese but worth a visit for every visitor. The beautifully transformed space offers a multimedia, interactive, and poetic journey into the national language of Brasil in the city with the largest Portuguese speaking population in the world. It was an impressively constructed museum from the three story metal "tree" sculpture which traces the roots of modern words to the 106 meter (>300 foot) long video panel wall showing images and sounds of music, festivals, cultural exhibitions, and personal stories. A timeline of the language in Brasil included commentary on the influence of slavery, 1950's Americana, and contemporary social media while computer stations allowed users to discover the origins of Portuguese words in other other languages. A short video in an auditorium made a metamorphesis as wall with the viewing screen raised and we were led to a vaulted ceiling room where images were projected on the ceiling as music and poetry filled the dark space of the room. A poem titled Favela by Carlos Drummond de Andrade, the best loved poet of Brasil struck me before I knew the translation (albeit a bad translation using a free online tool because I could not find an English version online - thanks, internet):
21. A maior
A maior! A maior!
Qual, enfim, a maior
favela brasileira?
A rocinha carioca?
Alagados, baiana?
Um analista indaga:
Em área construida
(se construção se chama
o sopro sobre a terra
movediça, volúvel,
ou sobre água viscosa)? A maior, em viventes,
bichos, homens, mulheres?
Ou maior em oferta de mão-de-obra fácil?
Maior em aparelhos
de rádio e de tevê?
Maior em esperança
ou maior em descrença?
A maior em paciência,
a maior em canção,
rainha das favelas,
imperatriz-penúria?
Tantos itens... O jurí
declara-se perplexo
e resolve esquivar-se
a qualquer veredicto,
pois que somente Deus
(ou melhor, o Diabo)
é capaz de saber
das mores, a maior.
***
The largest! The largest! Which, after all, is the largest Brazilian slum?Is it the Rocinha in Rio?Is it the Wetlands, in Bahia?An analyst questions: In area constructed (if construction is called the breeze over the land - shifting, fickle, or over viscous water)?Is it the biggest, in occupants, animals, men, women?Or, the greatest in easily available labor?The most in radios and TV's?The biggest in hope or the biggest in disbelief? The most patience, the most songs, the queen of the slums, the shortage of princesses? So many things ... The Jury declares that it is perplexed, and decides to dodge any verdict, since only God (or better yet, the Devil) is capable of knowing by moral judgement, which is the biggest.
(Translation by dear friend, Marian Beddill who lived in Brazil for many years, had family still in Rio de Janerio, has been a wealth of information, and happens to be the second hit on Google when you search "Unitarian Universalist Rio de Janeiro - thank you for everything, Marian, with a thousand Brasilian hugs).
- Across the street is the Garden of Light, a city park originally created as a botanical garden in 1798 which now bodes an impressive collection of sculptures among the flora. It was the perfect time to be there with the late afternoon light filtering in through the trees, through the fountain, and across the pond; the still air no different in temperature than my skin. A peaceful halo of beauty that seemed to stop time long enough for my mind to unwind the frustration over my dead camera battery, the sense of isolation in being unable to share the experience through photographs, and the weariness of a day of wandering. For a few moments I simply was and I left with only memories and a lighter soul. . Sadly, my camera died just before I arrived so I have no pictures for the rest of my evening.
- At the edge of the park sits the Pinacoteca Museum, dedicated to Brasilian art from the 19th century to today. The oldest art museum in the city, Pinacoteca is housed in the former building of the Arts and Crafts School and is one of the more beautiful museums I have ever been in with towering brick walls, grand archways, and suspended walkways in cavernous rooms. A few artists were being highlighted including the works of Gilberto Salvador with work spanning decades of his work from the bold and colorful political art of the 1960's to a more stark black, white, and red sculpted collection from recent years. A few Rodin sculptures mix traditional (though sometimes foreboding) forms among contemporary pieces with whimsical shapes that leap from the floor and out of the building. The main exhibit takes the participant on a tour of Brasilian art through a timeline from the colonial period through the here-and-now Brasil. It was thoughtfully conceived with "art chosen to encourage the viewer to identify the relationships between them" and to "deepen your own interpretations and exchange ideas with friends or yourself." It was a smart exhibition that provided an opportunity for art education for all visitors without being condescending or inaccessible. The most powerful special collection, I thought, was that of Vasco Araujo wherein he created dioramas with figures of both colonizer and slave which emerged from large wooden eggs he constructed atop delicate tables. In the artist's own words, "The figures portray actions between white and black people [and] reveal the sexual and social relations between the two. The figures' insertion into the eggs (in a similar way of what happens in the Faberge eggs) discloses a mechanical, imperialistic and despot side from where the new race was born (mulatto). The association of this with all the quotes of Padre António Vieira (written on the tables) takes us to a rereading [which] can be inserted in the post-colonial discourse proper to the period we are now living." To contrast these intricate story sculptures, the walls of the room were lined with drawings by Jean Baptiste Debret "the 19th century French painter [who] arrived in Brazil in the beginning of [the] century with the French Mission invited by the Prince Regent D. VI and John who revealed his passion for Brazil in his paintings, drawings, engravings and aquarelle allowing the formation of an historical, political, cultural and social vision of the Brazil of the 19th century." It was one of the most creative and evocative art displays I have seen on this trip and it was worth the time to reflect on the intentions of the artist and its relevance today.
- It was getting late and my tired legs were wanting to get to the next destination, the Sala Sao Paulo, a concert hall where I would see the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. I grabbed dinner of soup and quiche in the café, hovered above the prix fixe restaurant below – good for people watching. Made my way through the grand halls to my box on the third floor – most impressive concert hall I have ever been in – like being in a Roman temple built for Apollo, the god of music, poetry, and light (also of plague, but who’s counting). Found myself next to a lovely octogenarian couple who were visiting their daughter – he plays flute for his church and they are both great music lovers. First up was Christopher Rouse's, Fantasy For Orchestra and Percussion, with the full orchestra with soloist playing a huge range of percussion instruments which at times sounded like a rock symphony. Next, Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Titan. A classic piece played with exquisite beauty. A wonderful night of music, indeed. Ernie was in tears, moved by the beauty of both sight and sound. I adore that Ernie. Kevin, you are going to love Ernie. I think ze is going to join us in South Africa!
- After the show I made a b-line for the front door and caught a cab to bar at the Terraço Italia at the top of the Italian Building that I could not make it to the other day. The views were incredible and the window at my table overlooked the Banesco building in the distance. Ate peanuts and drank a whiskey and amaretto cocktail. What a way to end my time in Sao Paulo. And, I was able to squeeze out a couple more photos from the juice in my camera battery! Enjoy! Saúde!
