Brazilian and Canadian present their cities in photographic exhibition
“If they called me to live in Toronto I would get my four cats and move the next day”. That’s what Ana Rodrigues answered when asked if she liked the experience of photographing in the largest city in Canada – and one of the main financial centers of the country. Ana was one of the photographers invited by the CCBC to participate in the Olhares Cruzados (Exchanging Glances) project, which in this edition includes records in Toronto and Rio de Janeiro. Her work is part of an exhibition which opened this month in Rio and will land in Canadian lands in the future.
The Exchanging Glances project aims to promote cultural exchange and rapprochement between the two nations. The idea is always to invite a Brazilian to photograph in Canada and a Canadian to photograph in Brazil, which leads to the organization of an exhibition and the publication of a photo book. The foreigner who was in Rio was the photographer Robert Divito, specialized in fashion, beauty and advertising.
Ana says she did not want to know much about Toronto before landing in the city, where she spent a week in June this year to take pictures. Her idea was to have a freer impression and only later buy a History book about the region. “Toronto is very cosmopolitan and you feel at home on the streets. There are a lot of people from other countries and the cuisine so varied, I’ve never seen anything like it”, says the photographer, who has spent time in Lisbon, Portugal, and Sucre, Bolivia.
Robert believes that Rio is perhaps one of the most photogenic and documented cities in the world, which has increased its challenge in adding a different perspective to the work. “My favorite spot to photograph was Joatinga beach. The ocean, the rocks and the waves form a powerful and attractive ensemble”, he says.
The first edition of Exchanging Glances, in 2014, honored the cities of São Paulo and Montreal. In 2017, it was the turn of Vancouver and Florianópolis, besides Brasilia and Ottawa. The work is an initiative of the CCBC in partnership with the consulates of Brazil in Canada and the consulates of Canada in Brazil.
The exhibition in Rio de Janeiro will feature 90 images and will receive about 640 students from public schools. They will interact with the works, through art-educational activities, creating their own works of art.
Exchanges Glances Exhibit Rio-Toronto
Arquivo Nacional
Praça da República, 173 – Downtown, Rio de Janeiro – RJ
Opening: October 24, 2018 – from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Espaço Cultural CCR Barcas, at Praça XV station
Address: Praça Quinze de Novembro, s/n° – Centro – Rio de Janeiro – RJ
Operating hours of Praça XV Station: Daily: 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Testimony of Clara Radicetti, Head of Finance and Foreign Affairs of AB2L, who was present at the opening of the exhibition.
“I was invited as a representative of AB2L, Brazilian Association of Lawtechs and Legaltechs, for the opening of the 4th edition of Exchanging Glances – Images of two Cultures, Rio de Janeiro and Toronto. At first, I confess I did not know what to expect, however, the opening surprised me very positively. As soon as I arrived there was a harpist playing, who delighted the audience. Then the night got to be even more special. I had the opportunity to be in contact with the two photographers who made it happen at this beautiful event: Robert DiVito, a Canadian professional who with his skill registered moments and places in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and Ana Rodrigues, a Brazilian who went to Toronto to photograph this city and gave us of beautiful scenery, that makes us connect and feel as if we had walked through the Canadian skyscrapers. I would like to congratulate all the institutions that have provided and participated in this exhibition with such professionalism, kindness and sympathy, especially the CCBC and the National Archives. These two, along with all other organizations involved, are able to convey the Canadian hospitality to the Brazilians who visit the project. I strongly recommend the exhibition for those who like or have artistic gifts, and want to know and get more sensitized with these two charming cities.” – Clara Radicetti, Head of Finance and Foreign Affairs at AB2L
