French artist JR's exhibition 28 millimetros at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil was the one that fascinated me the most. Because it was beautiful. Because it was looking at the favela straight through JR's eyes. And because what he saw and decided to show us was the "Comunidade", the community, that particularity that makes a favela way more than just a slum.
He choose to work in Rio's oldest favela, Providencia, and used the walls of the favela to show giant portraits of women from the community. The result is an amazing visual, giant eyes and smiles looking at you as you drive by the favela.
He didn't stop there and used the whole favela as an exhibition hall, putting up pictures of kids and residents all over the wall, pictures that do not just show but illustrate the life of the community. As if you were looking at memories, moments that already happened there....
JR's work wasn't just about taking pictures. He met the residents, talk to them, discovered their way of life and its difficulties. He got a glimpse of Rio's government amazing politic when it comes to the favelas: Putting up a renovating project that, in fact, will only concern the few houses you can see from the street, leaving the poorest families live in made-out-of-wood houses. JR recounts in the 28 millimetros book how he met one of those families, whose house at the top of the hill was built in the 60's.... After talking to the community, JR's crue offered to rebuild the house in rough-stone.
I visited the original house, used for a video installation for the exhibit. You wouldn't imagine what it's like. And I definitely cannot imagine a family of 9 nine living in there.
JR's wonderful work moved me and showed the favela as I know and love it. No guns, no drugs... just smiles, kids playing and people laughing. Amazing how, one more time, it takes a foreigner to show the true heart of the favela.
His movie, Women are heroes, is currently being presented at the Cannes festival.
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