Out and About in São Paulo: December

By Maria Lopez Conde, Senior Contributing Reporter

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – As most of the United States and Europe begin to bundle up ahead of a chilly winter, the mercury’s rise signals both the beginning of summer and a more dynamic social calendar for Brazilians. For those hitting São Paulo for either business or pleasure this month, we round up three of December’s must-see events.

Eddie Peake’s body of work has earned the London native critical acclaim around the world for being as provocative as it is varied. As an artist, Peake has mastered the language of photography, painting, video, installation and performance, but it is the latter that has raised eyebrows and made him a London sensation.

In 2012’s “Touch,” Peake staged a naked five-a-side soccer (football) match where the teams were differentiated only by their socks and trainers to address the homoeroticism in contact sports. “Amidst A Sea Of Flailing High Heels and Cooking Utensils,” also from 2012, Peake used the human body to create sculptural and sexual objects with choreography, exploring the audience’s voyeuristic desire.

“I’ve been working with sexual images and related themes for a couple of years. That is partly due to the fact that the imagery resonates in me in a way that transcends verbal language,” Peake told Folha de São Paulo this week.

The 32-year-old artist chose the city of São Paulo for his first showing in Latin America. Nineteen never-before-seen paintings from Peake’s “Caustic Community (Masks and Mirrors)” series will be on display at the São Paulo branch of London’s White Cube gallery. Spray, acrylic and oil paint were used to cover large eye-catching canvases that will be on display until February 14, 2014.

What: Caustic Community (Masks and Mirrors)
When: November 20, 2013 – February 14, 2014 (Tue-Sat 11AM-7PM)
Where: White Cube, Rua Agostinho Rodrigues Filho, 550, Vila Clementino, São Paulo
Entrance: FREE

Adrenaline junkies can get their fix of fast cars and high stakes at the grand finale of São Paulo’s Circuito Nova Schin Stock Car to be held at the Interlagos racetrack on December 14th – 15th. The final race will decide which pilot will get to walk away with a R$1 million cash award. For those who would rather see people rather than cars compete for prizes and bragging rights, Stock Car will also hold 4km and 8km runs on December 14th.

What: 12th Stage of Stock Car – One Million Race
When: December 14 – 15, 2013
Where: Av. Senador Teotônio Vilela, 261, Interlagos, São Paulo
Entrance: R$40-R$300 (Tickets here)

Celebrating New Year’s in the large metropolis does not have to involve luxurious parties and watching fireworks on crowded streets only. São Paulo, home to the world’s largest Japanese population outside of Japan, offers several off-the-beaten-path, family-friendly events with a distinct Asian flavor on New Year’s Eve. Moti Tsuki Matsuri, known as the festival of the Bolinho da Prosperidade (Cake of Prosperity), is an ideal option to interact with Japanese culture on the last day of the year.

Named after the traditional gelatinous rice dessert known as mochi (known as moti in Brazil), the festival provides attendees an opportunity to watch Shinto purification ceremonies and engage in the moti tsuki ritual, which involves beating rice to create the dessert and symbolizes the hard work required for good luck in the coming year.

What: Moti Tuski Matsuri Festival – Cake of Prosperity Festival
When: December 31, 2013. 8AM – 1PM
Where: Praça da Liberdade, s/n, Liberdade, São Paulo
Entrance: FREE