In 2001 this is how the Pelourinho - a famous neighborhood in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil - looked. In a counter-intuitive move, I decided to photograph this location, so famous for it's pastel colors, in black and white, using Kodak Hi Speed Infrared film - it felt to me that this film would help express the distinct vision I had of the place; a place which seems to exist in the past, present and future all at once.
Despite (or maybe even because of) all the horrific things that happened to black people in this area during the time of slavery, there was a psychic vibrational density to the air that had an almost hallucinogenic effect on me all the time I was there. It has real presence maybe because of all the ancestors present and the fact it is such a cultural centre for people in this part of Salvador.
The Pelourinho is a historic neighborhood in western Salvador de Bahia. It was the city's center during the Portuguese colonial period and was named for the whipping post (pillar) in its central plaza. The Historic Center is extremely rich in historical monuments dating from the 17th through the 19th centuries. Salvador was the first colonial capital of Brazil and the city is one of the oldest in the New World (founded in 1549 by Portuguese settlers). It was also the first slave market on the continent, with slaves arriving to work on the sugar plantations.This area is in the older part of the upper city (Cidade Alta) of Salvador. It encompasses several blocks around the triangular Largo, and it is the location for music, dining and nightlife. In the 1990s, a major restoration effort resulted in making the area a highly desirable tourist attraction. It has a place on the national historic register and was named a world cultural center by UNESCO in 1985.Easily walkable, Pelo has something to see along every street, including churches, cafes, restaurants, shops and the pastel-hued buildings. Police patrol the area to ensure safety.
No comments:
Post a Comment