cybercrias
Two boys pose for the photo while photographing themselves with a Cybershot, in Nova Holanda. This photo is about access to the right to document.
maré analógica
arteviana × mOst
maré analógica
Film photography made by young people from the Maré, Rio de Janeiro. Ten ways of seeing, a favela told by those who live in it, and an exhibition pasted onto the walls of the neighbourhood itself.
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maré · the territory
In the city of Rio de Janeiro there are two Rios de Janeiro: the South Zone, and the rest.
exhibition text, written with the young people of the Maré
analógica · the project
made from the Maré, not “about” the Maré
This project was born from the meeting between Arteviana, an artist from the Maré, and mon oeil sur terre (“My eye on the ground”). It is a collaboration built on a shared vision: to make the peripheries places of culture, artistic expression and self-made narratives.
It is a participatory visual arts and grassroots communication project that seeks to think about and make visible the everyday lives of people living in the peripheries, opening up creative, reflective and participatory spaces. Our workshops set out to tell the story of the places where they take place and to bring forward the community’s voices, through the lens of the artistic practices explored during the sessions and the collective creations that grow out of them.
black and white · 29 photos
corpo-território
body-territory
Taking up space, firmly.
sonhos de um futuro jogador
dreams of a future player
A Black boy from the Maré playing ball on the field. In this photo we see dreams: the dreams of a future player.
três irmãos
three brothers
Three brothers bound together by life; every day they watch the football games on the little square together. Three young people getting past any adversity, united by brotherhood.
04 / 53
i want to show the woman as the protagonist.
« Quero destacar a mulher como protagonista. »
presença · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
A woman faces the camera with confidence, taking up space as if it were the most natural thing. I want to show the woman as the protagonist.
nascer, pertencer, permanecer
to be born, to belong, to stay
An elderly woman sitting at her front door. A resident of the Parque Maré favela, one of the oldest. Many people around the neighbourhood know her: Dona Lígia. She is always very kind and always lets herself be photographed.
coragem
courage
A boy strikes a pose of strength, a gesture of bravery. The pose shows how a child tries out the idea of being strong.
movimento
movement
Three children pretending to ride a motorbike, in Nova Holanda. They are standing still, and yet there is movement, not just physical, but in the world of imagination.
maré · the territory
what is it like to live in the rest of the city?
The territory took shape between 1940 and the early 2000s, through spontaneous occupation and through government housing programmes such as Projeto Rio and Projeto Morar Sem Risco. The Maré was built by people who had suffered evictions, and by people who came to Rio, or to Brazil, in search of a better life and ended up becoming part of its construction. The territory begins around FIOCRUZ and ends at Praia de Ramos, on the shores of Guanabara Bay; it is cut in two by the Linha Amarela and hemmed in by the Linha Vermelha. Seen by the few who drive past on the expressways, ignored by many.
Like every favela in Rio, the Maré has its problems too, some of which you won’t find in the South Zone. Environmental racism is one of the biggest we face right now, however different the story told by the mainstream media. No proper rubbish collection, open sewers, canals that overflow on rainy days for lack of maintenance; we lack green spaces, or even trees along the streets, which during heatwaves (or, in Rio’s case, all year round) becomes unbearable.
in a child’s gaze we see a whole life.
« No olhar de uma criança vemos uma vida. »
olhos da vida · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
In a child’s gaze we see a whole life; his eyes overflow with feeling. What is inside? The everyday, the lived experience of the favela.
força brincada
playful strength
A boy smiles as he shows off his arms, turning the idea of strength into play and joy. Giving strength a new meaning in Black childhood, as expression.
pose e sorriso
pose and smile
A young photographer from the Maré. Her smile carries the joy of a night spent taking pictures around the Maré.
sr. damoé
mr. damoé
A Black man sorting recyclables in the middle of the Complexo’s dump. Society’s hero, faceless, nameless, and yet its pillar. So many Black people are discriminated against, when their role is a heroic one.
society’s hero, faceless, nameless.
« O herói da sociedade, sem rosto, sem nome. »
sr. damoé · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
vestir a camisa
wearing the shirt
A young man wearing the shirt of the club he loves. Unconditional love for your team: wearing the shirt is serious business.
brilho do sol
sunshine
A young man on his motorbike admiring the horizon, thinking about his next trips. His body and his eyes shine along with the bike, waiting for the next adventure. This one is about freedom.
lazer na favela
leisure in the favela
Children flying kites. Choosing this image is a way of valuing the everyday, what usually goes unnoticed: childhood finding joy despite whatever limits there may be.
rezas para o amanhã
prayers for tomorrow
An elderly Black man from the favela praying for better days. It matters to show fragility, to pray for better days.
maré · the territory
a territory rich in culture and art
The Respira Maré study by Redes da Maré, an NGO founded by residents, shows that people in the Maré are more prone to respiratory diseases; the Maré lies 14 km from the Duque de Caxias refinery (REDUC). The study also shows that the lack of green areas prevents any direct regulation of local temperature. Have you ever noticed how the heat in the South Zone is different from the rest of Rio?
The Maré is a territory rich in culture and art, where residents’ creativity and resilience take many forms. It is no coincidence that there are several cultural venues inside the favela: the Museu da Maré, the Centro de Artes da Maré, the Galpão Bela Maré and the Areninha Herbert Vianna. The exhibition reflects the mareense identity, with the colours, graffiti, music and stories that tell of everyday life and of our struggles. An example of how art can transform and bring people together, overcoming barriers and showing the beauty of the favela.
childhood can be lived anywhere.
« A infância pode ser vivida em qualquer lugar. »
re-infância · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
Children flying kites on the field. The scene gives you the feeling that childhood can be lived anywhere.
as he lets the kite go, he lets his dreams go, higher and higher.
« Enquanto solta pipa, ele solta seus sonhos mais e mais alto. »
pipas e sonhos pro alto · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
A child flying a kite on the field across from his house. As he lets the kite go, he lets his dreams go, higher and higher.
final de baile
end of the baile
A local couple drinking beer at a bar in Nova Holanda; in the background you can see a tarp used for the bailes. This photo is about sociability in the favela.
family moments are the most important ones.
« Os momentos com a família são os mais importantes. »
conversa em família · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
A family chatting in front of the house. Family moments are the most important ones.
A boy watches his kite while carefully adjusting the tail. The photo was chosen because it captures the moment just before play, and the attentive gaze making sure everything goes right when the kite goes up into the sky.
antes do céu · before the sky
caption written by the photographer
bolsa de movimentos
bag of movements
The bag doesn’t just carry things, it carries a movement. We see a badge of Elza and another of Drumm, and we wonder what movement he carries in his bag. I fell for the bag and its badges.
maybe letting time pass, maybe thinking about life, maybe just living.
« Talvez deixando o tempo passar, talvez pensando na vida, talvez vivendo. »
passe o tempo · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
The photo carries part of this man’s story: leaning on his motorbike, maybe letting time pass, maybe thinking about life, maybe just living. I think the photo raises the question of why he is there, and I liked that.
crias do tijolinho
the tijolinho kids
Boys playing ball on a court abandoned by time.
olhos na tela
eyes on the screen
A young woman looking at her phone to go shopping, while right behind her there is a shop. This photo makes you think about how we are always on our phones, looking for something that is right beside us.
beyond their differences, they are equals!
« Além deles serem diferentes, eles são iguais! »
a lealdade não tem cor · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
Two boys sitting in a run-down square. I chose this photo because it stands for unity, brotherhood and equality: beyond their differences, they are equals!
maré · the territory
a way of looking, built together
The Maré has a look of its own: narrow streets, colourful houses and music everywhere, expressing the cultural identity of the place. Art is a powerful language that speaks of the community’s history, struggle and resistance, and this exhibition shows all of that, through lived experience, survival and our sense of collectivity. Despite the invisible barriers built up over time by violence, from inside and outside, a group of young residents came together to collectively build a way of looking at this territory.
This exhibition is made of the lived experiences of these young mareenses who, despite everything that Black people and favela residents go through, managed to turn it into art. That is why it matters to tell the other side of the story, and to let it be told by those who live it, not by those who only show up when things go wrong.
colour · 24 photos
peace
A boy poses for the photo with a hand sign. Light and natural.
pronto pra goal
ready to score
A boy about to shoot at goal during the match. Movement and the decisive moment.
33 / 53
the community breathes football.
« A comunidade respira futebol. »
o futebol e a sua arte · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
A boy on a football field. The community breathes football. It is the most longed-for dream, and football breathes persistence and talent.
35 / 53
infância na maré
childhood in the Maré
Three young people from the Maré stopping for the photo, on the Rubens Vaz (R.V.) field. I like photos that bring out childhood.
di’ keke na praça
di’ keke in the square
Girls smiling, sitting in a square, posing for the photo. Each one striking her own pose. This photo shows a pure childhood: a friendship between four girls.
38 / 53
This photo carries a silent, even striking gaze, like a question. He looks inside what he sees, he looks deep. I think his gaze ends up making us think, and that is why I chose it.
olhar profundo · deep gaze
caption written by the photographer
pique esconde
hide and seek
A child playing hide and seek who smiles when he is found. The purity of a child who stays happy even when losing the game.
between the alleys of Nova Holanda, the crias cool off from the Rio heat.
« Entre os becos da Nova Holanda, os crias se refrescam no calor do RJ. »
lazer na favela · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
Children enjoying a pool on a sunny day, in the Maré favela. Between the alleys of Nova Holanda, the crias cool off from the Rio heat.
the essence of the favela: the meeting of the lives lived in this territory.
« A essência favelada, o encontro entre vivências desse território. »
butacagem · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
At a boteco in Rubens Vaz, men get together to drink, eat and have a good time. This photo captures the essence of the favela: the meeting of the lives lived in this territory.
cotidiano
everyday
A woman playing a game of dominoes at a local shop.
tradição suburbana
working-class tradition
A man at the counter of his little corner shop, with all kinds of goods. In Rio’s favelas, the look of the boteco and the corner shop holds on.
The photo casts a more beautiful gaze on the daily life of women who work in bars and carry part of their story with them. I just liked it, so I took it.
bar de memórias · bar of memories
caption written by the photographer
rest and leisure matter too.
« O descanso e o lazer também são importantes. »
pausa · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
A man sitting down, taking a rest. I chose it because it shows a simple, human moment of everyday life. Rest and leisure matter too.
olhar a maré
looking at the Maré
A look at the Maré, straight from a cria (someone born and raised here). I liked that.
outra pausa
another pause
A man watches time go by from his front door, in silence. Showing the pause as a routine.
em movimento
in motion
Two young men riding through the streets on a motorbike. Portraying youth.
cuidado
care
A haircut at home, among everyday gestures.
i just liked it, so i took it.
« Só gostei e eu fiz. »
bar de memórias · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
a sunny day of siblinghood and its joys.
« Um dia ensolarado de irmandade e suas alegrias. »
dia ensolarado · the young photographers of Maré, 2025
A child holding her baby brother on a sunny day of siblinghood and its joys.
fazendo o meu caminho
making my way
A barber doing his job to make a living. I liked the photo for its work atmosphere: it stands out from the others.
observando um novo amanhecer
watching a new dawn
A boy looking up, the sun on his body. When I look at the photo I imagine all kinds of scenes, and that is what caught my attention.
analógica · the project
a real co-creation, in four movements
This project was a real co-creation with the young people who took part through Arteviana. They were fully involved at every stage of the process: from choosing the themes and the ways of narrating the territory, to producing the images and materials, right through to the decisions about selection, editing and presentation for the exhibition. The work was not made “about” the Maré, but from the Maré, with the people who live in this territory and transform it every day.
Our aim is to start from the point of view of the people who live in the communities where we work, and to build a representation as close as possible to everyday life: more faithful, fairer, more representative. We build these representations through collectively created works and materials that result in exhibitions and take part in the dynamism and creativity of the peripheries, affirming them as places of culture, living memory and artistic expression.
choosethe themes and the ways of narrating the territory
producethe images and the materials, on film
select and editthe photos, the titles, the captions
exhibitin the street, on the walls of the Maré, and in the booklet
workshop
Young photographers from the Maré.
let it be told by those who live it.
« Deixar ela ser contada por quem vivencia ela. »
exhibition text, 2025
street · giving it back
the exhibition went back to the street
The photos went back to where they were made: pasted onto the walls, doors and pillars of the Maré, alongside the posters and the graffiti, at the height of people passing by. The exhibition did not take place in a gallery: it took place where people live, for the people who appear in the pictures and for those who walk past them every day.
the exhibition, wall by wall
sixteen posters, sixteen walls
Sixteen A0 posters, pasted on the walls, doors and pillars of Maré. Each wall shows the poster and the photo taken on the spot, on the day of the pasting.
02wall 2
tradição suburbana
working-class tradition
on the poster: tradição suburbana · butacagem
03wall 3
07wall 7
09wall 9
a lealdade não tem cor
loyalty has no colour
on the poster: a lealdade não tem cor · três irmãos
10wall 10
11wall 11
nascer, pertencer, permanecer
to be born, to belong, to stay
on the poster: nascer, pertencer, permanecer
12wall 12
13wall 13
14wall 14
16wall 16
street · giving it back
the maré could read what its young people had written about it
Along with the photos, the contact sheet of the whole series and the exhibition text were pasted up too: the Maré could read what its young people had written about it.
land · 3D
land in Maré
An immersion in the neighbourhood and its exhibition, from the globe down to the street: the sixteen posters, in 3D, in the streets of Maré.
crossed perspectives
two peripheries talking
In 2026, in Medellín, the favela ocho project brought the young people of Llanaditas (comuna 8) into dialogue with Arteviana, in Maré, and Fotogracria, in Rocinha: two peripheries, one on each side of the continent, starting to talk to each other.
credits · who made it
ten artists, two collectives
artists
- Ale Estrela
- Ana Alves
- Arteviana
- Carol Fraga
- Chabanne
- Gugah
- Hayon
- Raquel Marreiro
- Rayvn Victor
- Gabrielzf
arteviana
An artist from the Maré. It was through Arteviana’s work and relationship with the territory that the young people took part in the project, at every stage.
mon oeil sur terre
The association develops documentary, visual arts and fine arts projects, co-created with residents of working-class neighbourhoods in France and abroad, as part of cultural rights: with people, not about them.
- territory
- Maré · Nova Holanda, Parque Maré, Rubens Vaz · Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- media
- film photography, publishing, street pasting
- public showing
- exhibition pasted on the walls of the Maré; 45-page booklet
- year
- 2025