By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Saturday, September 23rd, the Museu de Arte do Rio (Rio’s Museum of Art), in Praça Mauá, Centro, will host the “MAR à tona” project. Aimed at reflecting on the role of culture in public spaces, the free event will promote musical attractions and debates from 10AM to 6PM.
This is the third time Rio’s Museum of Art hosts the “MAR à tona”, whose two first editions were dedicated to the funk and the grafitti culture in Rio.
This edition hopes to shed light on Rio’s cultural and artistic diversity. Also, it intends to discuss how cultural manifestations of all kind have been making use of the city.
One of the project’s principles is to show how cultural practices taken to public venues, like markets, shows and performances, end up promoting the sociability in Rio de Janeiro.
Taking part of the event from 10AM to 6PM will be the DiverCity food and handicrafts market, run by Mawon Association, NGO focused in promoting the social integration of immigrants in vulnerable situation through education, arts and culture; and Chega Junto, project that promotes the ethnic culinary brought by refugees from all over the world.
The musical line-up starts early in the morning, with Haitian DJ Bob Selassie warming up the audience with a hot setlist of Latin, Caribbean and African jams from 10AM to 11PM. Following, DJ Bibo Bassini will run the pick ups with a selection of MPB, samba, among other Brazilian genres until 12PM, when group Congo Folclórico, composed of Congolese artists, present typical dances and music.
At 1PM, Carioca indie band Comodoro performs at the stage, presenting the tracks of “Livre” (Free), the group’s first album, which brings an interesting blend of Brazil’s regional music genres, rock and samba.
The debate “Public Space and the Possible Uses of the City” will gather five different people to share the way they experience, see and use Rio de Janeiro as a “cultural stage”.
Participating in the discussion will be Dom Negrone, hip hop activist and producer of MC’s battles in Rio; Pedro Rivera, director of Columbia University’s Studio-X in Rio, a think thank for sustainable urban solutions; Robert Montinard, Haitian immigrant and founder of the Mawon Association; and Yves Abdalah Makangua, Congolese refugee and member of Mawon Association.
Two musical attractions will close the event’s line up: at 4PM, music collective Fábrica Nômade Sonora will bring a multimedia performance; at 5PM, singers Chico Chico and João Mantuano will go up on the stage to bring some Brazilian independent music to the audience.
What:Mar à Tona
When:Saturday, September 23rd – 10AM to 6PM
Where: Museu de Arte do Rio – Praça Mauá, 5 – Centro – Tel: (21) 3031-2741
Entrance: FREE