Saturday, May 16, 2009

Vila de Canoes favela, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

I got a great chance to tour a favela while in Rio at the end of April.  It's generally not recommended to go in without a guide as the only govenment in the favela is the drug sellers. I tried to communicate the visual impressions I got with the makeshift powerpoles and the rat's nest of borrowed power, the activity of the people as they go about their business.  This was one of the more prosperous favelas called Vila de Canoes.  Favelas are squatter shanties that become towns on lands that were formerly public land.  Often they are right next to very expensive resort properties and sometimes the views of the beach and mountains are unrivaled.

Water color on 7x10 Arches 140 lb. block.