What A Little Paint Can Do for Brazil’s Favelas

Dutch artist duo Haas&Hahn first worked together while filming a documentary for MTV about hip hop in the favelas (Brazilian slums) of Rio and São Paolo. They’re still making their mark in Brazil, but this time they’re not using video cameras, they’re using paint. The “community-driven art interventions” of their Favela Painting Project are providing local youth the opportunity to learn a craft, earn money, and develop pride and responsibility in their home.

This spring the team completed the first phase of their epic “O Morro” project in the Santa Marta community of Rio (see photo above). The pictures are beautiful–community-created murals covering over 34 houses in swooping lines of red, green, pink, yellow and blue. It’s like every color of Fruit Stripes bubble gum, except longer-lasting. Just as bright, their 2008 project in Villa Cruzeiro, was a gigantic traditional Japanese design laid out by master tattooist Rob Admiraal.

For color you can walk on, check out these photos of OAB‘s beautiful swerving beach boardwalk in Benidorm, Spain–what some describe as the Spanish version of Rio de Janeiro.

And for the latest news on the “O Morro” project, check out the Favela Painting Project Facebook page.

[magicalurbanism.com]

Photo: Favela Painting Project