Reality in miniature: the Morrinho Project as a community-based and site-specific artwork from a Rio de Janeiro favela

Abstract

This article discusses Morrinho, a grassroots artistic project from a Rio de Janeiro favela (slum or squatter settlement) that visited several prestigious, international art events. The project started without artistic intentions, as a form of children's play, but developed into a successful organisation that combines artistic and social goals. The article shows how the project was incorporated into the world of High Art, arguing that its common interpretation often gives a simplified view. It then presents an alternative reading based on the complex sociological position of the project's participants as well as their mature and reflective artistic representation. Crucial in this argument is an interdisciplinary approach that combines a sociological understanding of the project's favela context, knowledge of relevant art-historical debates and a first-hand understanding of the present functioning of the project. Based on this approach, the article discusses the position which the Morrinho Project occupies in the debate surrounding the increasing amount of community-based art projects that aim to combine artistic achievements with a direct, socio-political relevance.