Rio Graffiti Artists Creating Open-Air Gallery on Walls of Sloping Passage

02/23/2016 - 09h51

The Ladeira do Castro is a hidden passage in the midst of the chaos of Lapa, in the center of Rio de Janeiro. Few people know that it connects two of the city's hottest nightlife spots - Santa Teresa and Lapa.

The local graffiti artist and designer Cazé wants to take advantage of the location and the walls of the houses to turn the passage into an open-air gallery and cultural corridor. Since last November, he has been inviting other graffiti artists to paint on the walls.

	Ricardo Borges/Folhapress
	The upcoming Olympic Games have provided an extra incentive for the Cazé´s project.

"One day, painting on the corner of the slope, I looked up, saw the blank walls and I realized the potential of the place," says Cazé, who for four years has been painting his alter-ego, the character Barbudinho ("Beardy") all over the neighborhood.

Local residents complain of the lack of policing.

So far, 30 artists have participated in the project. As the curator, Cazé wants to use the space to provide a platform for graffiti artists that he considers talented, but who are still little known.

The upcoming Olympic Games have provided an extra incentive for the project. "It's a chance to show our work to the world. Brazilians don't value national culture. Sometimes it's necessary to be recognized abroad before people start paying attention here."

There are similar initiatives in other cities, the most famous of which is Berlin's East Side Gallery, on the east side of the wall which divided the German capital between socialism and capitalism, while São Paulo has the Museu Aberto de Arte Urbana, in the neighborhood of Santana, in the north of the city.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE
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