Artistic Circuit “My Rio” - Part I
Curator: Marco Veloso, Artist
My circuit outlines an ellipse in a restricted area of the city which may not even be one of its most interesting. An immense city in deep and traumatic transformation, Rio expands in several directions, with older regions and others that have only recently emerged. But it is also full of places, of small "quebradas", of fine points on a map and intense and changing flows and paths. Unfortunately, I'm not much of a street person. I do walk a lot, but my relationship with the people and things of the street is small. However, my route tells of a winding in an arc of long duration. Its sketch reveals a drawing and a personal and continuous gaze. It should be noted that some of my important locations were left out, such as the beaches, the Municipal Theater and some cinemas, which could not be included in this route. Concluding, "My Rio" is where a heart lives that both defines and embraces its lovely city.
Pão de Açúcar / Sugarloaf MountainAv. Pasteur, 520 - Urca
Leaving São Clemente and entering Botafogo beach, the view of Sugarloaf throws us even deeper into the most fundamental archetypes of the geography and iconography of our city. Botafogo Bay itself, and the background landscape that limits the entrance of Guanabara Bay, form a perspective that, at least in my view, is directed less at the landscape than at ourselves. Unfortunately we do not have many places from where to contemplate this horizon and each day that passes, we will be even more fascinated by the view (which we already see in advertising on television) of a flyover that passes by Christ the Redeemer and heads towards the towering rocks of Urca.
Museu de Arte Moderna / Museum of Modern Art
Av. Infante Dom Henrique 85, Parque do Flamengo
I am amongst those for whom the Museum of Modern Art was one of the schools for art and life. Located ahead, following inside the majestic Flamengo Park, the Museum always inspired me, as did the inspiring company of Santos Dumont Airport, whose large painted panels in the main hall inspired many of my childhood drawings. When attending the museum in my teenage years, and whenever I was there, even unaware of how much history and culture had occurred there in recent periods, a phrase came to mind all the time: "this is a school of solitude for me."
Museu Nacional de Belas Artes / National Museum of Fine Arts
Av. Rio Branco 199 - Centro
And be sure to visit, nearby the MAM, the nineteenth-century galleries at the National Museum of Fine Arts, at Cinelândia.
Parque Lage / Lage Park
Rua Jardim Botânico, 414
In Lage Park, especially by the pool area located in the center of the school, we have the proximity of the Corcovado with its huge stone, both silencing and revealing our insignificance against the relief of this wonderful city.
Jardim Botânico / Botanical Gardens
Rua Jardim Botânico, 1008 - Jardim Botânico
Further ahead, we pass through the Botanical Gardens. I have always enjoyed the garden, where I have been for many hours reading or just contemplating its plants, its trees and several times awaiting the passage of a toucan, on its fragile and highly poetic flight.
Instituto Moreira Salles
Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 476 - Gávea
I improvise my circuit at Gávea, more precisely, at the Instituto Moreira Salles, where we can enjoy more than pleasant moments. Extremely interesting exhibitions and films invite us for a visit that always lasts longer than planned. Last year, the screening of the 3D movie by Werner Herzog about the petroglyphs in a cave in France made me return the next day to repeat the dose.
