Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph showing a group of people around a hole dug in the ground. On the left, two men in suits are watching the hole. Two workers, wearing shirts and a vest, are pulling a large horizontal bar through the hole. In the background, there is an old car and a person walking. The building in the background has classical architecture with columns and windows. On the ground, it reads "Rio, May 28, 08 Standard Vault Entrance."- CURADORIA
- Joaquim Marçal
Rio, suas ruas, sua gente If in the gallery titled “Rio cidade luz” we took a walk through the memories of the services provided by the companies of the Light group, now we are going in search of more photographs from this same archive, containing other memories of a Rio that passed... because the records originally produced by commissioned photographers, with technical and business objectives, do indeed allow for other perspectives. There are, in this collection, also a few images that belonged to the company's directors.
Let us imagine the scene, at the beginning of the 20th century: the photographer moved through the streets with heavy equipment – camera, lenses, tripod, glass plates – in search of the records previously arranged with the client. Each shutter release (the camera device that controls exposure time to light) had its ritual. In the case of landscapes, made of distant points, the photographer's mission was more predictable and easily controlled. In the streets and workshops, however, there were always people. Thus, it fell to the photographer to establish the interaction, to provide the mediation; because the subjects had to cooperate, consent. Most did not reject the idea of being integrated into the scene; posing or not. They were other times. Some of these photographs already contained the germ of photojournalism, which was born between the years 1920-30.
And in the middle of this story, there is a place for the relationship between carnival and Light, with the blocks formed by the company's employees. Special emphasis is given to the carnival trams, as it is possible to see in the final rooms of this gallery.
The photographer's objective, as we said, was to produce the images requested by the company. But upon returning to the laboratory and the development of the negatives being performed, each of those moments in which so much was happening around the main subject became perenized. When producing the positive copies on paper, no cropping or even enlargement was done. Thus, by traversing those images with an attentive gaze and the aid of a magnifying glass, we can rescue other layers of memories. Here, our gaze will be turned toward the people, the streets, the places. Memories of Rio, in short.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of an urban scene. On the left side, there is a wooden fence with a wall. In the background, there is a large brick building with several windows and electrical structures on top of it. On the right side, there is a small, simple structure. In the center of the image, three children are walking along the cobblestone-paved street. They are near the main building.Enter
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph showing a group of people around a hole dug in the ground. On the left, two men in suits are watching the hole. Two workers, wearing shirts and a vest, are pulling a large horizontal bar through the hole. In the background, there is an old car and a person walking. The building in the background has classical architecture with columns and windows. On the ground, it reads "Rio, May 28, 08 Standard Vault Entrance."Enter
Image description: This is a historic black-and-white photograph of a busy street, likely from the early 20th century. The image shows a large avenue with several people walking and vehicles circulating. On the left, there is a building with ornate architecture, possibly a newspaper office, with towers and decorative details. On the right, there is another building with a light-colored façade and large windows. In the center of the image, there are streetcar tracks, indicating the presence of public transportation. The people are wearing formal clothing of the period, suggesting an event or a workday.Enter
Image description: This is an old photograph of a tram stopped on the street. On the left, there are tall trees and people walking along the sidewalk. In the center, a tram numbered "218" is stopped, with several people inside and standing by the platform. On the right, there is a large building with windows and balconies. In the bottom right corner, there is a handwritten date: "Rio-22-5-924".Enter
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of an urban scene. On the left side, there is a train full of people clinging to the railings, occupying practically the entire length of the vehicle. On the right, there is a large building with balconies and windows. The sky is clear, and power lines cross the air. In the background, other buildings are visible.Enter
Image description: This is an old photograph of an urban street. On the left, we see a building with a tiled roof and a sign that reads "AO 62." People walk along the street, some wearing hats and long dresses. In the center, there is a rail line with stopped railcars. On the right, there is a large building with classical architecture, featuring balconies and decorative windows. In the bottom right corner, a date is written: "Rio - 27-1-08."Enter
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a group of people in front of a monumental structure. From left to right, the individuals are arranged in two rows. In the front row, everyone is wearing white shirts and light-colored trousers, some with straw hats. In the back row, there is a central figure dressed in colorful attire, holding a baton and a sign that reads "Rei Momo da Light." In the background, there is an elaborate structure with grotesque faces and ornamental details. To the right, there is an old building with a deteriorated façade.
