Glamcult Independent Style Paper
RIO DE JANEIRO SPECIAL
G C
Free 2015 - issue 2
FOUNDERS // Jurriaan Kamp, Hélène de Puy // CHIEF // Jurriaan Kamp // EDITING // Marco Visscher // CREATIVE DIRECTOR // Andrea Mota // PRODUCTION MANAGER // Rick Greer // EDITORS // Elleke Bal,
Pauline Bijster // EMPLOYEES // Geertje Couwenbergh, Elbrich Fennema, Hilde Bervoets, Piet Janssen, Hielke Schouten, Carl Stellweg, Paulo Coelho, Harry Sta
4 Impression Rio d
Cult inRio de Jane in the favelas Project //
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12 Loo
14 Quote of Jean Van With
L7M
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ADDRESS: // William Buytewechstraat 45, 3024 BK Rotterdam // Commerce number: 59,366,303 e info@glamcult.com // // i // www.glamcult.com
// CORRECTOR // Diana Korpershoek // PHOTOGRAPHERS // Corb!no, Pieter de Swart, Rikkert Harink // LETTER TO THE EDITOR //
de Janeiro
eiro
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8 Living
10 Favela Painting
ok book Favela
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nier // 16 Interview
Rio
Fashion Week
redactie@glamcult.com // Glamcult reserves the right to edit correspondence from readers for clarity or length. // // MARKETING Willemien Trompert-Lavooij // // POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 2402,3000 CK Rotterdam //
arren, Lisette Thooft
m MEMBERSHIP // interior Price: € 0, - per year. For abroad, this Excludes postage. // © 2013 Publisher Glamcult B.V. or the individual authors.
Rio de Janeiro is divided tourists alike.
up into These
districts with each district neighbourhoods
having have
several neighbou the b
riodej
Lagoa Located in the South Zone, this upper middle class neighbourhood is also one of the favourite hang outs of the young professionals in the city. During the day they rela
The Flamengo neighbourhood next to downtown Rio used to be the primary residential zone of the city. Today, it houses the largest city park in
Ipanema is Fairly small in size, this neighbourhood is large in colour. New art trends and funky fashions seem to spring from its streets. Diversity is a
Botafogo is located amongst the hills of Santa Marta, Mundo Novo and Morro de Sao Joao. It is best known for its attractions including the Native Brazilian
urhoods. best
There are a few attractions,
neighbourhoods beaches,
that
are very popular and restaurants and
with
locals and night-life.
aneiro
ax on the beaches surrounding the lagoon and at night bars, restaurants and nightclubs provide the entertainment. There are plenty of good restaurants around the Lagoon.
n the country. Flamengo Park has 296 acres with museums and cultural centers. The architecture is mostly art deco and can be fun to look at.
at its best here with jocks, hippies, gays and tourists all co-existing peacefully with each other. Ipanema also has some of the best restaurants in Rio.
n Museum, Casa Rui Barbosa and the Villa-Lobos Museum. Two of the largest shopping malls are also located here, Rio Sul and Botafogo Praia Shopping.
The Tijuca Forest is a manaround Rio de Janeiro been cleared and and coffee. Replanting Manuel Gomes Archer in century in a successful water supply. This followed Brazilian King Dom Pedro and deforestation caused declining levels of rainfall impacting on the supply of home to hundreds of threatened by extinction, Atlantic Rainforest (Mata The vegetation is so estimated that ambient surrounding areas have Some 30 waterfalls
Museum National de Belas Artes
Tijuca Forest
Rio de Janeiro
made reclamation of land that had previously developed to grow sugar was carried out by Major the second half of the 19th effort to protect Rio’s concerns made by the II in 1861 about erosion by intensive farming, as had already begun drinking water. The forest is plants and wildlife, many and found only in the Atlântica in Portuguese). dense that scientists have temperatures in been lowered by up to 9°C. also occur in the forest.
The Brazilian city, often known as the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvellous City), is recognisable for the towering granite peaks that bookend golden sand beaches, and its statue of Christ the Redeemer – the largest Art Deco statue in the world. Rio was one of eight new sites, four natural and four cultural, added to the UN’s list. In granting heritage status, UNESCO commended the key features that have shaped and inspired the city’s development, such as Guanabara Bay and the Tijuca National Park - a sprawling urban forest in the west that cloaks the Corcovado Mountain down to the sea. The Corcovado and the Christ statue were also highlighted, as were the city’s 200-year-old botanical gardens.
d e j a n e i r o
The Museum National de Belas Artes is one of the most important cultural institutions of the country, as well as the most important museum of Brazilian art, particularly rich in 19th-century paintings and sculptures. The collection includes more than 20,000 pieces, among paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints, of Brazilian and international artists, ranging from High Middle Ages to contemporary art. It also includes smaller assemblages of decorative arts,folk and African art. The museum library has a collection of about 19,000 titles. The building was listed as Brazilian national heritage in 1973 When the museum was created in 1937, it became the heir not only the National School collection, but also of its headquarters, a 1908 eclectic style building projected by Spanish architect Adolfo Morales de los Ríos.
C u l t i n r i o
The Cidade das Artes (City of Arts) is a cultural complex located in Barra da Tijuca in the Southwest Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which was originally planned to open in 2004, with the name of City of Music (Cidade da Música). The formal inauguration was in January 2013, with the musical, “Rock in Rio”. The project’s R$515 million (approx. US$250 million) to the city of Rio caused much controversy was originally budgeted at R$86 million. As the new home of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra and a main center for music, the Cidade das Artes is the largest modern concert hall in South America, with 1,780 seats. The complex spans approximately 90 thousand square metres and also features a chamber music hall, three theatres, and 12 rehearsal rooms.
National Library Brazil
Rio International Film most charming festival of over a period of 15 days, films, including 48 Brazilian 230 thousand spectators foreign guests, among producers and directors Thailand to South Africa, Germany and France. All i n t e r n a t i o n a l from the American majors studios, were present at especially, at the Festival 1999, the Festival has Roman Polanski, Louis Carlos Saura, Harvey Moufida Tlatli, Isabelle Greenaway, Samuel L.
Cidade das Artes
Holding over 9 million volumes within its stacks and archives, Brazil’s extensive National Library (Biblioteca Nacional) is the largest library in Latin America and remains one of the first institutions established during Rio’s reign as imperial capital of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves. Founded in 1810 and relocated to its current handsome Greek Revival-style setting in 1910, the library has maintained an archive of the country’s most important publications, periodicals, photographs, films, and music through the present— its collection of Brazilian popular music is unmatched, with over 200,000 pieces, from samba to sertanejo (a genre from the dry backlands of the northeast akin to American country music). Among collections of the National Library of Brazil is the Teresa Cristina Maria photograph collection, which includes 21,742 photographs
Int’l Film Festival
Festival is the biggest and Latin America. Last year, the Festival exhibited 347 ones, in 1261 sessions for and received around 200 whom executives, of 60 countries, from including the USA , the big companies of the cinematographic industry, to the independent the exhibition venues and, business meetings. Since welcomed talent like Malle, Forest Whitaker, Keitel, Terence Davies, Huppert, Peter Jackson and many others.
living in the favelas of
rio De Janeiro
According to the 2010 Census, about 6% of Brazil’s population live in favelas or shanty-towns - around 11.25 million people across the country, roughly the population of Portugal. However, there could be even more living in these communities. Rocinha is Brazil’s largest favela and unofficial estimates say it has up to 180,000, compared to the census figure of just 70,000. The expansion of the favelas - and their irregular and unregulated nature - means that these areas often lack basic services and public investment. But even among favelas there can be big social contrasts. Favelas with a privileged location like Rocinha have relatively better standards than other shanty towns further away from jobs and services; and even within Rocinha there are richer and much poorer communities. The poorer areas are usually higher on the hilltop, with many houses only accessible on foot. In Rio’s favelas, most homes are made from brick and cement, a majority have running water and about 99% have electricity. Sanitation is often a big problem - in Rocinha sewage flows down a large channel in the middle of houses. Recent reports suggest 65% of favela residents are a part of Brazil’s new middle classes. And despite these people’s relatively low incomes, many of these communities are a long way from being “slums” as they are often portrayed.
Between 2005 and now, the favelas of Rio de Janeiro have provided the inspiration and locations for several public artworks that we painted together with local community members. Each new project being larger than the last, we now we aim to realize our ultimate dream; to plaster and paint an entire hillside favela. With your help we will return to Rio to create this community artwork of unprecedented scale: A monument that will radiate the pride and energy of the people who live in a community that they built with their own hands.
Haas & Hahn’s first project, in 2007, was a giant, mostly one-dimensional mural of a boy flying a kite. Their second undertaking involved painting a chain of staircases to look like a rushing river. And their landmark project—with hues of bright blues, greens,
Upon arriving in Rio, Haas & Hahn, as they’ve come to be known, encountered a group of rappers struggling to get their messages out. “They were asking the world to look at them and the favelas in a different way, but no one was listening to them,” explains Urhahn. “As we sat there, looking at the rolling hills of houses, we wondered, why not use the strong social coherence that exists in the slums and channel the extreme creativity of people?”
Nearly seven years ago, creative partners Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn travelled from their home base in Amsterdam to the infamous favelas of Rio de Janeiro to shoot a film on the burgeoning hip-hop movement in the city. Originally constructed by Brazilian soldiers without any other place to live after their military service in the late-19th century, the favelas came to be defined by violence, drugs, and extreme poverty. These are not quaint shantytowns: A recent United Nations estimate puts the favela population at more than 12 million people—6% of Brazil’s total population.
Fa v e l a Pain
These days, it’s impossible for Haas & Hahn and their crew to walk a few steps in the favelas without people asking what’s next or whether they have any job openings. “We get a lot of different reactions, but most have to do with being proud to live there or have been a part of making it,” says Urhahn. “Some favela dwellers even remark that they feel like they live in a museum or an art gallery.”
With impact in mind, Haas & Hahn have their eye on the long game. “Our dream, ultimately, is to make a perpetual project. These are murals, so they suffer from sun, rain, etc. They even suffer from kids’ feet as they play on it.” Urhahn explains, “When you paint a wall or a floor, you don’t think about the fact that a responsibility comes with a project; you have to train people to do this crucial maintenance.”
“When we started, we just hired assistants,” confesses Urhahn. “What we do now is build a team of professionals.” Other projects have taken similar approaches in the favelas including the filming of City of God, where kids were trained to be actors and crew, or Waste Land, Brazilian artist Vik Muniz’s work with pickers in Rio’s vast dumps.
When speaking about this next iteration— an ambitious plan to paint an entire favela—Urhahn explains: “It’s not just growing in scale, but in depth as well; our goal is to make a maximum impact.” The team is asking questions, such as “How can you use art to maximize every potential? What can it do, what can it offer, to a person involved? Is it just a job, or the beginning of a career? Can you teach people other things—beyond painting—by painting?”
“The interesting part is that it was a project born in Rio, and not anywhere else. It was never a theory turned into action, but action turned into theory,” Urhahn says.
yellows, and pinks—transformed the facades of 31 buildings into a massive work of art. To do so, the team often builds up small-scale models of their sites, on which they project light to determine the colourful shapes so synonymous with their work.
t i n g project
Interview with L7M
L7M is one of Rio’s most prolific and unique street artists, with a dedicated following that grows every day. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with him about his life’s work.
that you use to create your unique artistic effect? I use the traditional tools, like spray, acrylic, and sometimes Coke. Who influences your style? I’m actually not taking much reference.
When did you first start using the name L7M? Where did it originate? I don’t remember the year. It remains my name, 7 is the seventh letter that corresponds to the first letter of my middle name, “G”. L and M are from my first and last name. Where are you originally from? How did your upbringing as a child affect your art? I was born in a city in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil. What made more difference was my own interest in art. What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was very little, I wanted to be train driver. When I was five years old, somebody gave me a book with animals’ illustrations, and I started to copy those drawings. When I was 12 years old, I won an art award in my school. That motivated me to be an artist. Out of everywhere was the most fun to you like to go next? I like to paint in places, so the city doesn’t difference to me. I would in Chernobyl. Your style is unlike that of any other street artist. How did you develop your style? I always liked to be different, and always liked the rayonism style. It helped me to create my differential. Are there any special tools or types of paint
you’ve been, which city paint in? Where would abandoned make much like to paint
What are you trying to communicate with your art? A little bit of myself, and things that happen in the world. I see a lot of birds in your artwork… Do birds have a special significance for you? What about animals in general? I have always liked birds, animals, and human faces. The birds symbolize freedom, and I think that we need to think about that. Because we all think that we are free in some way, but we are not. Street art vs. graffiti. In your mind, what’s the difference? Street art involves lots of technique, like stencil, spray, collage, mixed media and even works on canvas. Graffiti involves letters and characters. But both are in the streets with the same objective: transmit art for everyone. What’s your I like them all. choose only
favorite piece of your own art? They are like sons to me! It’s difficult to one.
What’s paint? I
playing in your headphones when you prefer the sound of the place that I am in, but I’m used to hearing a lot of hip hop and classical music. The music doesn’t affect my art very much, but the place that I am in makes the difference. What’s the next big thing on the horizon? I don’t know, today there are a lot of things happening for me that I never thought that would happen. Anything else you’d like to add? When you draw from your heart, don’t mind if other people think that it’s ugly. Because it’s true, and that’s what matters. L7M.
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RIO FASHION W
WEEK
Following on from the events of São Paulo, the land of the bronzed and beautiful opens it’s doors once again, this time in Rio de Janeiro, for the start of the Winter 2014 collection shows! Winter may be fast approaching but today, the cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city) kicks off another round of Winter 2014 fashion to help keep us in good spirits. The smaller-scale, sister fashion week provides a platform for up-and-coming Latin American fashion brands to bring their designs to the runway and to the attention of the world. What’s more, its runways are filled with the world’s most beautiful models; past editions starring Victoria’s Secret Angels Alessandra Ambrosio and Izabel Goulart among others. Rio Fashion Week: Catch Up On All The Collections! So what can we look forward to from the four-day event? This year, FFW Fashion Rio will take place at the exquisite Pier Mauá venue, overlooking the open shores; and much like its colorful surroundings, the week will see colourful Brazilian brands such as Oh Boy and Daughters of Gaia present their newest collections for Winter 2014. Meanwhile, designer Alexandre Herchcovitch -- who also shows at New York Fashion Week -- is certain to draw a stylish crowd for the launch of his winter collection on Thursday. Other shows to write in the diary include Balcony, Iodice, and Coca-Cola Jeans, with Rio Moda Hype closing the week’s events. Off the runway, Harper’s Bazaar Brazil will be celebrating it’s two-year anniversary in style at the swanky Hotel Fasano where FashionTV.com will be updating you on all the stylish shenanigans! Stay tuned.