A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
499: Tambores de Crioula heated by fire
W
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2013, 2017
Brazilian culture
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2014.
Part 94:
São Luís (MA) -St. Peter statue
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2014, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
409: Couple dancing quadrilha
W
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2012, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2014.
Part 46:
São Luís (MA) – Young participant at Bumba-meu-boi
São Luís (MA) – Creole dance
São Luís (MA) – Young participant at Bumba-meu-boi
São Luís (MA) – Young participant at Bumba-meu-boi
São Luís (MA) – Creole dance
São Luís (MA) – Young participant at Bumba-meu-boi
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2014, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
332: Carving a statue
In the late eighties of the last century, a large-scale exhibition of regional and national handicrafts (artesanato) was held for the first time in the large exposition halls of Expominas. Since then, this expo is held annually, a few weeks before Christmas. Every year has its own theme; in 2011, it was: ‘São Francisco, O Rio and O Santo’, about the São Francisco river, the lifeline of South-East and North-East Brazil. Over seven thousand exhibitors show their – mostly – self-produced goods to over 160 thousand visitors. There are also some demonstrations of handwork, in which skillful hands conjure a work of art from a raw object. In the photo, a wood artist is busy chiseling and cutting a wooden statue of Virgin Mary.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2011, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2008.
Part 60:
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – Colorful fabric
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – Wristbands
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – Ribbons
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – Strings
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – Colorful fabric
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – Wristbands
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – Ribbons
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – Strings
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2008, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
290: Firewood stove
In Brazil, Festas Juninas – June parties – are celebrated in June. These festivals honor Saint Anthony (June 13), Saint John (June 24) and the Saints Peter and Paul (both on June 29). The celebrations originate in Europe as the midnight parties. In Brazil, June is a winter month, and it is considerably colder, especially in the south and southeast. It is not uncommon to find hot drinks and a bonfire on such a June party. Wherever possible, the dishes are heated on a traditional wood oven.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 58:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Ankles with percussion instruments
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Handstands during Zumbi Parade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Handstand during Zumbi Parade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Percussion instruments
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Ankles with percussion instruments
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Handstands during Zumbi Parade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Handstand during Zumbi Parade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Percussion instruments
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 57:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Percussion equipment
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Percussionist at Zumbi Parade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Young participants at Zumbi Parade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – A king at the Zumbi Parade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Percussion equipment
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Percussionist at Zumbi Parade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Young participants at Zumbi Parade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – A king at the Zumbi Parade
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
258: Theater
One of the oldest theaters in Brazil is located in the center of João Pessoa : Teatro Santa Rosa. The theater – named after the then president of the state of Paraíba, Francisco da Gama Rosa – was opened in 1889. The theater has a turbulent history, where the state flag was formulated, and where took place the name change of the city in 1930: Parahyba was replaced by João Pessoa, in honor of the governor and vice presidential candidate assassinated three months earlier. The theater, with over four hundred seats, has beautiful dark red decorations, like the carpets, curtains and wall coverings.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
250: Colorful umbrellas
Pernambuco has a rich and colorful culture. Both Recife and Olinda are widely known for colorful carnival that attracts millions of visitors. Also well known is the frevo, which has a very interesting history. Late nineteenth century, two military bands participated in carnival parades. These bands were very competitive and tried to outdo each other by playing louder and faster. Some members of these orchestras drove the bystanders apart with capoeira movements and with knives, and soon these rough guys from both orchestras were fighting each other. These fights resulted in many injuries and even deaths. Eventually, the knives were replaced by little, colorful umbrellas, and capoeira movements were further refined to the typical frevo dance. The man in the picture sells the little umbrellas.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 37:
São Luís (MA) – Selling bananas
São Luís (MA) – Participant at Festa Bumba-meu-boi
São Luís (MA) – Painting curbstones
São Luís (MA) – Polishing shoes
São Luís (MA) – Selling bananas
São Luís (MA) – Participant at Festa Bumba-meu-boi
São Luís (MA) – Painting curbstones
São Luís (MA) – Polishing shoes
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2009.
Part 18:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Chicken hearts skewer
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Statue
Congonhas (MG) – Yellow tree blossom
Congonhas (MG) – Soapstone prophet statue
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Chicken hearts skewer
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Statue
Congonhas (MG) – Yellow tree blossom
Congonhas (MG) – Soapstone prophet statue
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 36:
São Luís (MA) – Ocean waves
São Luís (MA) – Chair on the shoreline
São Luís (MA) – Participant at Festa Bumba-meu-boi
São Luís (MA) – Participant at Festa Bumba-meu-boi
São Luís (MA) – Ocean waves
São Luís (MA) – Chair on the shoreline
São Luís (MA) – Participant at Festa Bumba-meu-boi
São Luís (MA) – Participant at Festa Bumba-meu-boi
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
246: Prophet Jonas
The historic city of Congonhas is famous for the soapstone statues of twelve prophets, sculpted by Aleijadinho two centuries ago. These statues are located in front of Santuário de Bom Jesus de Matosinhos. Obviously the first letters of the prophets form the name of Aleijadinho. And one of them is Jonas, who was ordered by God to go to Ninivé, but he refused. He then got swallowed by a whale, but he survived. He eventually fulfilled God’s will and went to that Assyrian-dominated city. The moral of this story was forgiveness. He is looking upward, into the sky, as if he was communicating with God. When observing the weather-worn statues, I was wondering how the statues would have looked at the time of their creation, two centuries ago.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2008.
Part 29:
Ouro Preto (MG) – Soapstone artist
Ouro Preto (MG) – Soapstone artist
Ouro Preto (MG) – Soapstone handicraft
Curitiba (PR) – Taxi
Ouro Preto (MG) – Soapstone artist
Ouro Preto (MG) – Soapstone artist
Ouro Preto (MG) – Soapstone handicraft
Curitiba (PR) – Taxi
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2008, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
237: Berimbaus
There was a small outdoor market in the cozy historic center of Olinda. Several dozen stalls were full of a wide range of crafts and utensils. Most of this merchandise was typical for this region. A handful of vendors tried to sell their own works of art to the public: small paintings, miniatures of houses and folkloric scenes, crocheted and knitted dresses, and colorful handbags. There was a stall that just caught my attention: berimbaus were offered for sale. These stringed instruments, with an open calabash as a sounding board, are common as the accompanying instrument in capoeira. The man showed me how to play this instrument: with a smooth stone, the string is stirred into a steady rhythm. Indeed, I managed to produce a nice sound, but it wasn’t easy to keep the rhythm. Not bad, for the first time.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2009.
Part 8:
Olinda (PE) – Dog statue
Olinda (PE) – Maracatu wall painting
Recife (PE) – Marco Zéro
Recife (PE) – Colonial houses
Olinda (PE) – Dog statue
Olinda (PE) – Maracatu wall painting
Recife (PE) – Marco Zéro
Recife (PE) – Colonial houses
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2016
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
225: Houses and lilac blossom
AUGUST 2009: Houses and lilac blossom
The historic town of Ouro Preto was the capital of Minas Gerais, until the late nineteenth century when Belo Horizonte became the new capital. Ouro Preto was especially important for the Portuguese settlers because of the abundance of natural resources, especially precious stones, gold and diamond. It is not hard to imagine that Ouro Preto was a wealthy town, and some of this wealth is still found in Ouro Preto, especially when you see the beautiful churches and large colonial houses. Many of these beauty can still be admired; therefore, Ouro Preto was added to the well-respected UNESCO World Heritage List. In winter, plants and trees flower in abundance, and this photo shows exuberant blooming lilac blossom, with colonial houses typical of Ouro Preto in the background.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2016
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
216. Colorful umbrellas
JANUARY 2009: Colorful umbrellas
Just a few kilometers from Recife is Olinda, a historic town that is included on the impressive UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nowadays, the city has expanded in almost all directions, but the cozy historic center is surprisingly well preserved. Typical of the center are the small houses that are plastered with a broad range of bright colors. Since each house has a different color, the postman flawlessly delivers the mail to the address with proper combination of colors. Not only are the houses equipped with bright colors. The small umbrellas, typical of the region and associated with the frevo dance. The umbrellas with the colors red, green, blue and yellow are found in every corner of the city; also here, with their long sun shades, attached to a whitewashed wall.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2016
Adriano Antoine 