Rio's Vibrant Mural Project Celebrating Black Cultural Heritage

AI Summary

A mural project in Rio de Janeiro, called NegroMuro or BlackWall, has been recognised as part of the city's intangible cultural heritage. The project features 80 murals portraying about 120 Black figures, aiming to create a cartography of Black memory and address the lack of public monuments commemorating Black people.

The Birth of NegroMuro

Rio de Janeiro, once home to the world's largest port of arrival for enslaved Africans, has a majority Afro-descendant population. Despite this, the city's public monuments largely overlook its Black heritage. Only about 10% of the 360 statues and busts across Rio commemorate Black people, with just 29 men and three women represented.

The Mural Project's Impact

This striking lack of representation drove two Black men, Fernando Cazé and Pedro Rajão, to create the NegroMuro project in 2018. The project now comprises 80 murals spread across the city, portraying about 120 people, 60% of them men. The duo aims to address the disparity by including more women in future murals.

A Cartography of Black Memory

“We're creating a cartography of Black memory,” says Pedro Rajão, a researcher and producer who created the project alongside visual artist Fernando Sawaya. The murals, on walls of schools, museums, train stations, and private homes, feature brightly coloured, bold-lined paintings of people born in Rio or with a strong connection to the city.

Honouring Black Figures

The murals depict notable figures such as Brazilian singer-songwriter and composer Luiz Melodia, writer Machado de Assis, and Black feminist activist Lélia Gonzalez. By honouring these individuals, the project seeks to celebrate Black cultural heritage and provide a more inclusive representation of Rio's history.