[Tales - Avenida Presidente Vargas, Rio de Janeiro, 2017]
The mural entitled"Contos", dated 2017, represents the pictorial materialization of four façades of a school building located in the epicentre of the city of Rio de Janeiro, more specifically between the Candelária Church and the Central do Brasil train station. Covering a total area of 2,500 square meters, the use of graffiti on the walls of the school is transmuted into a symbol of an almost magical nature, representing a mother figure without literacy who, with conviction and imagination, tells beautiful narratives to her children, thus hinting at their ability to read. In this context, there is a regrettable scenario in Brazil in which a considerable number of young people and adults still lack the ability to read and write.
The large pavilion that bore the painting was founded in 1913, originally operating as an annex exclusively for girls, and complementing the pre-existing school established in 1877, also recognized as one of the establishments founded by the monarch Dom Pedro II.
According to statistics from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), in 2018 there were approximately 11.3 million people over the age of 15 living in illiterate conditions. If this population contingent were brought together in a single urban space, its density would only rival that of the city of São Paulo - whose estimated population is 12.2 million.
Due to the magnitude of the project, the work"Tales" has risen to the status of the largest mural made by a woman until 2017, as recorded by the Guinness Book, solidifying its value and recognition in the eyes of both critics and the public.
The mural encourages a playful approach, promoting awareness and empowerment, as well as embracing the representativeness of black and indigenous ethnic groups, collectivities that comprise approximately 54% of Brazil's national demography.
Photos by Humberto Ohana