Embodied Art and Aesthetic Performativity in the London 2012 Handover to Rio (2016) Dr Rodanthi Tzanelli ([email protected]) Sociology & Social Policy, University of Leeds
1. Embodied Art and Aesthetic Performativity in theLondon 2012
Handover to Rio (2016)Dr Rodanthi Tzanelli
([email protected])Sociology & Social Policy, University
of Leeds
2. Brazil, Rio and regional scene
3. Context of upcoming Rio 2016and Brazilian (post)colonial
phantoms Brazils colonial heritage as phantom: welcome toDarwns
tourist terra nova Brazils authoritarian heritage as phantom:
fromGetulio Vargas (1964-1989) to neoliberal realities Brazils
Olympic legacy (post-2016 to become heritage) Production of
contested hybridities and travellingcultural commodities based on
blood lineage andconceptions of suffering: slavery,
dictatorialoppression, neoliberal geographical divides, new
athleticethic of laudible effort
4. The spectacles clichs dont misrepresent us, but we want
toshow other ways in which we mix. We are very far from Europeand
North America. [] We get this information and wereinvent.[] This is
our spirit, this is how we produce culture.Cao Hamburger,Credit:
DivulgaoDaniela
Thomashttp://redutocultural.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/entrevista-com-daniela-thomas-cineasta.html
5. Camerawork, Olympicperformance and the Truth Elevation of
hybridity as mixing to an all-embracing good value. Hidden behind
this utopian abstraction is a well-established disjunction between
multiculturalismas an ideal and multicultural political
realitiesthat are shoved under the carpet. Facts behind utopia:
handovers performancesframed by collection of representations
ofNortheastern Brazilian genres Old question of ownership: who is
cast as merewage labour or elite artist and who takes fullcredit
for the product beyond loyalties?
6. Imperatives beyond individual artwork What do directors
choose to present,how and why? How: cultural style, situated
aesthetics Rio 2016 aesthetics as judgement overwhat is beautiful
and worthy asvalidated by senses Why: physical and cognitive
dimensionscollaborating in producing judgementsabout the
socio-cultural world we inhabit(cosmology)
7. Handovers focus:synergy of senses Visual: Coloured costumes
and black-white performers Aural: (1) Rios and Brazils blend
ofmusical traditions, including samba, (2)new hybrid tunes and
poperatic singing Kinaesthetic: (1) samba dance, Carnavaland
Candombl rituals, (2) leisureregimes as in football Brazilian
tradition facing Westernmodernity or a meeting point
ofdifference?
8. Syn-aesthesia To capture the mind-body complex ofBrazilian
performativity Deriving from a real disorder(synaesthesia as
replacement of onesense with another) Performative synaesthetics:
productivere-ordering of narrative (not neural!)pathways through
combinations ofimage, movement, touch, smell andsound
9. Rios allegory and IOCs categories InternationalOlympic
Committee:preservation ofOlympic ethicalchart/principles
ofgoodness, fairnessand European beauty Rio 2016: allegory
orethno-nationalworldview appearedto be aligned withthese
principlesLeft to Right:London Mayor B. JohnsonIOC President J.
RoggeRio Mayor Eduardo Paes
10. Rios allegory asBrazilian joy and passion Stress on
physical and affective aspects,not really about Olympic aesthetics
butBrazils postcolonial interpretation ofencounters with world
European goodness (cosmopolitanism)not Brazil/Rios
cosmeticcosmopolitanism Rios allegory treating surfaces (form)and
emotion as meaning (content)
11. Rios cosmetic cosmopolitanism Joy/passion as deep
cosmopolitanstatements:1. as internal dialogue on racial
inequalities,social difference and geographicalmarginality2. as
aesthetic and political collusion withhegemonic worldviews (IOC,
EuropeanEnlightenment, Cartesian divide betweenmind and body) First
statement contradicts the second, asBrazils modernity path
contradicts that ofcolonial and postcolonial Europes pathways
12. Ex. 1: Sorriso as favela sambistavs. Scheidt as athletic
human Sorriso as black human:from street cleaning toRio Sambadrome
tomusic and film industryand nationally/globallyrecognised dancer
Scheidt as white human:multiple medal-winingOlympian but
notcompetent dancer Clashes of 2 forms oflabour Brazilian e-motion
asanti- or post-Cartesianstatement
13. Ex. 2: Marisa Montes auralperformance White (-dressed)
body/formenclosing black content(Candombl) Mixed professional
training(samba to European opera) Handovers focus: BachianaNo. 5
from the BachianasBrasileiras 9 suites -- Musical
blend(Northeastern inspiration +Bach) Montes overall
appearancerepresentative of popera Inviting synaesthetic travelakin
to thanatotourism
14. Sambistas and the CarnavalCredit: Andrew Osborne
(Flickr)
15. Seu Jorge: from samba slumsto global cinematic Truths
Brazilian musician,singer, songwriter andactor Raised in a favela
northof Rio de Janeiroknown as the city ofBelford Roxo. Considered
by many asan artist that renewedBrazilian pop sambathrough global
blends City of God (2002) The Life Aquatic withSteve Zissou
(2004)
16. Ambrsio as Brazils cosmetic cosmopolitanism:ex. 3 of
synaesthetic performativityAmbrsios perfomance with BLACKsamba
dancers and singers.The singer B-Nego(second left), themodel
Alessandra Ambrsio(middle) and Renato Sorriso (firstleft)SURFACES
AS ENNOBLED NON-EUROPEAN AESTHETICS: BLACKNESS +FEMININE
GRANDSTANDING
17. Trickery as tourist performativity:Pele the Malandro
Brazilian statement contraEuropean-Olympic categories offairness
Malandro as cinematic character:bad boy akin to con man in
touristtrade across Latin Americancultures Body (love-man)
deceivingmind/senses (foreign thought) BUT Pele reconciles this
anti-Cartesian statement with Olympicathleticism and insertion of
blacklabour (football) into culturalindustries (cinematic
appearances,music composition, Ubisoft gamepersona)Source: Mail
Online, 13 August 2013