with works by Valtemir Valle and Claudio Urbano
Among the more than thirty carnival parades produced by Joãosinho Trinta (São Luís, MA, 1933–2011), the one that stands out as an aesthetic-political event that transcended the avenue and became part of Brazilian cultural history, is Ratos e urubus, larguem minha fantasia, created for samba school Beija-Flor de Nilópolis in 1989. Perhaps the most famous image from that parade is that of a replica of the Christ the Redeemer statue dressed in rags. After a complaint from the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, it was presented on the avenue covered with a rubbish bag and holding a banner that read: “Even forbidden, watch over us”.
Through the work of two artists João brought on his team, we observe the process of this art director who acted as a general director, responsible for conceiving and organising an ensemble that would make an impact on the avenue. In a series of photographs, Valtemir Valle presents us with the visual record of what took place before and after the parade. Through these images we get to know the carnival workshop and the backstage of the spectacle. Claudio Urbano is one of the draughtsmen who helped give form to João’s ideas.
The curation and research for this section were developed with Debora Moraes, a doctoral student in art history and researcher of Carnival art.