The I.C.B.I.E. Blog

Once again, thanks to our faithful friend Paranaguá, we have some fine photos of Thursday’s book launch at the Historic and Geographic Institute of Bahia.  With the support of the Italian Institute of Culture in Rio de Janeiro, the ICBIE was able to organize this high profile cultural event, recognizing a work by our friend Riccardo Fontana that reveals yet another Italian who had an important role in Brazilian history:  Giovan Vincenzo Sanfelice, Conde de Bagnoli defensor da Bahia.

(photos by Paranaguá)

(English translation below)

A presença dos amigos do ICBIE no Museu Arqueológico da Embasa (MAE), no último dia 24, teve um significado muito importante para mim. Afinal, era a primeira vez que recebia a visita de pessoas tão ilustres, ligadas a arte e a cultura entre a Itália e o Brasil. Atendendo ao meu convite, Pietro Gallina, presidente do ICBIE, Danielle Messina, do Consulado da Itália em Frankfurt, Gabriele Lo Re, representante da ONG Accademia de Psicologia Applicada de Palermo e Stefano Bottoni, diretor do Museo Delle Ghise de Ferrara na Itália, conheceram o trabalho que venho desenvolvendo a frente do Museu Arqueológico da Embasa, desde a sua inauguração em maio de 2006.

Durante a visita, eles tomaram conhecimento que o MAE, é um espaço destinado para exposição do acervo de peças arqueológicas (fósseis, louças de cerâmicas, utensílios pré-históricos etc) encontradas nas escavações realizadas pela Empresa Baiana de Águas e Saneamento S.A – Embasa, para implantação de obras de redes de abastecimento de água e esgotamento sanitário em sítios históricos de Salvador (Comércio e Pelourinho), Cachoeira, São Félix, Vila de Igatu e Lençois na Chapada Diamantina, Praia do Forte e Mucugê. Vale ressaltar que esse resgate arqueológico tem a finalidade também de ajudar a contar o passado e mostrar traços das principais matrizes étnicas que compõem a cultura brasileira, entre o século XIX e XX.

Reservatório da Cruz do Cosme – O MAE funciona no antigo reservatório de água da Cruz do Cosme, construído em 1852 – primeiro em alvenaria no Brasil, juntamente com o chafariz do Terreiro de Jesus, para uso da população. Na época, era administrado pela Companhia do Queimado, sendo inclusive visitados por Dom Pedro II, quando Imperador esteve em Salvador, em 1859.

Outro fato interessante foi a surpresa reservada para Stefano, durante a nossa visita ao superintendente de Operação do Esgotamento Sanitário de Salvador, Cantídio Duarte, no Parque Deputado Paulo Jackson, Rio Vermelho. Na exposição fotográfica internacional de Bueiros, realizada no ICBIE no dia 21 (sexta-feira), tomei conhecimento do seu interesse em obter uma tampa de bueiro da Embasa. Na sua coleção só existe uma tampa representando o estado da Bahia: Tebasa, antiga empresa Telefones da Bahia S.A.

No encontro com Cantídio Duarte e a gerente do departamento de Operação de Esgotos, Roberta Henriques, eles ficaram impressionados com as explicações de Stefano, sobre as particularidades da sua coleção de bueiros, - peças decoradas com nomes antigos e valor histórico, que se distinguem pela concepção gráfica e o resultado dos desenhos ornamentais - de várias capitais do mundo expostas no Museo Delle Ghise em Ferrara, e comentou sobre a possibilidade de formalizar uma solicitação a Embasa, para obter uma tampa de bueiro com a marca da empresa.

Conforme citei acima, para sua surpresa, os técnicos da Embasa, fizeram a doação de uma tampa de bueiro (chamada popularmente tampa de PV – Poço de Visita), para ser integrada ao acervo do Museu, como mais uma peça representando a Bahia.
Texto e fotos: JFParanaguá.

The presence of my ICBIE friends at the EMBASA Archeological Museum (MAE) on the 24th of November meant a lot to me.  After all, it was the first time that I received a visit from such illustrious guests, connecting the art and culture of Italy and Brazil.  I invited Pietro Gallina, president of the ICBIE, Daniele Messina, of the Italian Consulate in Frankfurt, Gabriele Lo Re, representing The Academy of Applied Psychology of Palermo, and Stefano Bottoni, director of the Manhole Museum of Ferrara, Italy, so that they could become familiar with the work I have done for the EMBASA Archeological Museum, since its inauguration in May 2006.

During the visit, they were able to see that the MAE is a site for the exposition of a vast collection of archeological artifacts (fossils, pieces of ceramics, pre-historical utensils, etc.) found during excavations made by the EMBASA, the Bahian Society of Waterworks and Sanitation, S.A., during the realization of water mains and sewers in historic areas of Salvador (Comércio and Pelourinho), Cachoeira, São Félix, Vila de Igatu and Lençois in the Chapada Diamantina, Praia do Forte and Mucugê. It is important to note that these archeological relics serve both to document the past and to display the remains of the principal ethnic matrices that formed Brazilian culture between the 19th and the 20th centuries.

Reservoir of Cruz do Cosme – The MAE operates in the ancient water reservoir of Cruz do Cosme, constructed in 1852 – the first in Brazil to be made of masonry, together with the fountain of the Shrine of Jesus, for use by the populace.  At that time, it was administrated by the Queimado Company, which was visited by Dom Pedro II, when the Emperor was in Salvador in 1859.

Another interesting thing was the surprise that was reserved for Stefano, during our visit with the city Superintendent of Operations of the Sewage Drains, Cantídio Duarte, at the Deputy Paulo Jackson Park, in Rio Vermelho. At the international photographic exhibition of manhole covers at the ICBIE on the 21st (Friday), I found out about his interest in obtaining a manhole cover from EMBASA.  In his collection, I knew there was a manhole cover from the State of Bahia: Tebasa, the former Bahia telephone company.

In the meeting with Cantídio Duarte and a director of the department of sewer operations, Roberta Henriques, they were impressed by Stefano’s explanations regarding the particularities of his collection of manhole covers in the Ferrara museum— pieces of historic value, from various world capitals, decorated with old logos that distinguish themselves by their graphic conception and the quality of the ornamental designs, and Stefano asked about the possibility of making a formal request to EMBASA, to obtain one of their manhole covers.

As soon as he said this, some EMBASA technicians made an instant donation of a manhole cover (commonly called the RS—Rarely Seen), to add to the collection of his museum, as yet another representative piece from Bahia.

Text and photos: JFParanaguá.

A primary focus of the ICBIE mission is to nurture the cultural ties between Brazil and Italy, and the many conferences, seminars and encounters that the ICBIE has offered during the past three years have brought honor to the institute, as well as a growing respect from other cultural institutions and scholars, both in Brazil and abroad.  So when ICBIE president Pietro Gallina learned of the new book by Riccardo Fontana, a historical research entitled Giovan Vincenzo Sanfelice, Conde de Bagnoli defensor da Bahia, he was able to convince the Historic and Geographic Institute of Bahia, located in the Salvador city center, and precisely on Av. sete de setembro, 94, Piedade, to host a formal book launch.  It is scheduled for tomorrow evening at 6 PM.

The book reconstructs an important moment in Brazilian history.  In 1624, the Dutch had wrested Salvador, which at that time was arguably the most important city in the New World, from the Portuguese.  In 1638, the Neapolitan commander Giovan Vincenzo Sanfelice reconquered the city from the Dutch, restoring Portuguese rule.  King Felipe IV (who was King of Spain, Portugal and the Spanish Netherlands, and is today familiar thanks to the his famous full portrait by Velasquez) awarded him the title of Count of Bagnoli.  Posthumously, he was even given the title Prince of Monteverde.  Fontana’s book will help to restore this incident, which truly had global consequences, to its rightful place in the mainstream of Brazilian historiography.

This study is part of Riccardo Fontana’s lifelong efforts to reveal the accomplishments of obscure Italians who played a decisive role in Brazilian history.  His other discoveries include Count Stradelli and General Napione, but also he has contributed to the understanding of Amerigo Vespucci and other cartographers, engineers, architects and military figures.

The concert on Saturday night was a gift from Stefano Bottoni to the students of the ICBIE and the Ribeira community.  Fred Menendez and his band brilliantly accompanied Stefano’s performance, even though they had never played together before.  Their show was yet another fine example of the ICBIE’s outreach, merging foreign artists with the local population: even Mestre Pedro, his daughter Patrizia and a group of his capoeira troupe attended.

In the late 1970s, Pietro and I were composers for Spettro Sonoro, a Roman contemporary music ensemble that produced, as part of the legendary Estate romana, a John Cage festival, and we performed one of Cage’s Variations in the sewers under main pedestrian streets, including the Via del Corso (the manhole covers were partially elevated to allow the sound to project), while fire trucks cruised by, spraying perfumed and colored water.

This weekend at the ICBIE, manholes and music are reunited.  After the Friday night opening of Stefano Bottoni’s photography exhibit, at 6 PM on Saturday evening, he will present a solidarity concert, to commemorate the beginning of his career, when the great Bahian musician Gilberto Gil discovered him at the Ferrara Buskers Festival, which Stefano had just inaugurated. Dedicated to the students of the ICBIE and the citizens of Ribeira, the concert will include our exuberant Bahian friend, Fred Menendez, who is fresh back from an Italian tour to, yes, Ferrara.  Fred will bring along his band, with Marcos Boi, Shafick Patriarca, Orlando Nascimento and Elielson Amorim, so it promises to be lively!

Thanks to Vanessa Costa, another wonderful friend and collaborator behind the scenes who assists us in crucial public relations, the major newspapers and media in Salvador received the following release, explaining this unique two days of exchange and solidarity with Italy.

Roy Zimmerman

—————–

Exposição de Bueiros em Salvador e Concerto Solidário

O Italiano Stefano Bottoni traz à Salvador uma exposição inusitada

Uma exposição fotográfica inusitada, que tem como peça chave o bueiro. É nesse contexto que o italiano Stefano Bottoni traz à Salvador a exposição fotográfica Bueiros. O bueiro, em ferro fundido, é um artefato, quase sempre desvalorizado, típico do ambiente urbano, e Stefano conseguiu reunir várias peças de todo o mundo que estarão expostas, de 21(vernissage às 19h) a 30 de novembro, das 9h às 17, na sede do Instituto Cultural Brasil Itália Europa (ICBIE) na Rua Porto dos Tanheiros, 36, Ribeira. Um concerto também será realizado pelo artista no local.

A exposição é um projeto do Museu Internazionale delle Ghise, resultado da pesquisa Arqueologia Industrial por Stefano Bottoni, caracterizada pela grande variedade artística de ferro fundido a nível mundial. A mostra traz imagens dos bueiros que são artefatos em ferro batido fotografados por Bottoni em várias cidades do mundo e são culturalmente as portas dos labirintos subterrâneos das cidades, sempre decoradas com nomes antigos e de bastante valor histórico, como as peças encontradas em Helsinque, Moscou, Oslo, Amsterdã, Viena, Roma, Sarajevo, Florença, Atentas, Havana, Barcelona, Copenhague e também em Salvador.

Além de fotografar, Stefano também é músico e para prestigiar o público baiano ele realiza no próximo sábado (22), às 18h, no ICBIE, o Concerto Solidário, a fim de recordar o início de seu sucesso, quando o fez fundar o Ferrara Buskers, festival de rua, onde conheceu Gilberto Gil. Para Stefano, Ferrara e Salvador estão culturalmente ligada. “As duas cidades estão representadas no Museo delle Ghise por duas peças de bueiros como uma fantástica ponte cultural, através do Oceano que as ligam em um contexto pobre, mas único e, naturalmente, fascinante na história escrita sobre o metal”, declara Bottoni.

Biografia

Stefano Bottoni nasceu em 1949 na cidade de Ferrara, na Itália. Em 1983, depois de ter recebido o diploma do Instituto de Arte Dosso Dossi e da Academia de Belas Artes de Bolonha, idealizou o prêmio A.Willaert e fundou também, em 1987, o Ferrara Buskers Festival, que se afirma em todo o mundo como a mais importante manifestação de artistas de rua.

Serviço

O que: Exposição Bueiros por Stefano Bottoni de 21 (vernissage às 19h) a 30 de novembro, das 9h às 17h. Concerto Solidário 22 de novembro às 18h

Onde: ICBIE (Rua Porto dos Tanheiros, 37, Ribeira)

Entrada: Gratuita

Informações: 3207-7717

(Gilberto Gil and Stefano Bottoni)

As everybody knows, the ICBIE has always supported street art, and its graffiti artists have become a source of great pride to us.   But now we’re concentrating on another less than obvious source of art that can be found on urban thoroughfares: manhole covers!  Our friend and kindred soul Stefano Bottoni has come to Salvador again, and he brought a beautiful collection of photographs, taken in the cloisters of San Paolo in Ferrara, where he presented an exhibition called The International Manhole Museum, showing his collection of real cast-iron manholes, collected from all over Europe, from Spain to the Baltic to Greece.  These often ignored sewer covers nonetheless reveal striking designs, beautifully cast, with heraldic stems and historic mottos.

The exhibition will open at 7 PM on Friday, November 21nd, with the customary vernissage, and will remain open to the public through November 30th.

João Henrique é reeleito prefeito de Salvador
Passado o clima da campanha, a cidade de Salvador retorna a normalidade. Depois de alguns meses, a população ficou livre da poluição sonora dos carros-de-som bradando os números dos candidatos: é o 15, é o 13, horários políticos nas emissoras de rádio e TV’s, balões infláveis, distribuição de propagandas, carreatas e caminhadas, disputas dos espaços com as cores da estrela vermelha (13) e do coração amarelo(15) etc. As pichações e cartazes de propagandas dos candidatos espalhadas por toda cidade, estão sendo retiradas pelos partidos, cumprindo determinação do Tribunal Eleitoral.

Com 58,46% dos votos válidos no segundo turno, o prefeito João Henrique Barradas Carneiro (PMDB) venceu as eleições disputadas com o candidato Valter Pinheiro (PT), que obteve 41,54%. Uma vitória surpreendente, na análise dos especialistas, sobretudo pelas dificuldades no começo da sua administração. A ida para o PMDB, a convite do ministro da Integração Nacional, Geddel Vieira Lima, foi muito importante. Conseguiu recuperar a credibilidade e, através das obras de melhorias nos bairros mais pobres, conquistou a preferência da população, chegando ao primeiro turno com 39,97%, na frente dos quatro postulantes ao cargo. A aliança com os Democratas teve papel fundamental na vitória de JH.

A reeleição do prefeito reacendeu as esperanças da população - principalmente de seus eleitores - baseada nas propostas do seu programa de governo e, de solucionar até o final da sua administração problemas em áreas importantes como: educação; saúde; transporte; turismo; moradia; desemprego; meninos de rua; meio ambiente; obras de infra-estrutura nos bairros. A vitória também trouxe mais tranqüilidade e esperanças para os jovens artistas de rua, integrantes do Salvador Grafita, um projeto de cunho social que tem melhorado a auto-estima, oportunizado intercâmbio com artistas de outros estados e países, valorização profissional, além de contribuir para o embelezamento da cidade. E por tocar nesse assunto, já se vislumbra em alguns bairros e no centro, belos grafites, modificando a paisagem desses locais.

No embalo da reeleição de JH, o presidente do Instituto Cultural Brasil Itália Europa, Pietro Gallina, está na expectativa de que no próximo ano suas reivindicações sejam atendidas. Ele lembra que, o prefeito em visita a sede do ICBIE, prometeu apoio para realização de programas na área de arte e cultura e revitalização do bairro da Ribeira.
Textos e fotos: JFParanaguá.

João Henrique is re-elected mayor of Salvador
Now that the campaign fever has abated, the city of Salvador has returned to normal.  For the last few months, the residents could never escape the noise pollution caused by cars equipped with loudspeakers and plastered with the numbers of the candidates:  it’s #15, it’s #1; all the radio and TV stations broadcast political ads and appeals; balloons, leaflets, motorcades and marches; disputes over wall space for red stars (13) and yellow hearts (15), etc.  The slogans and posters of the candidates were scattered all around the city, having been torn down by the parties upon orders by the Electoral Court.

With 58.46% of the validated votes in the runoff, the mayor João Henrique Barradas Carneiro (PMDB) won the elections, disputed against the candidate Valter Pinheiro (PT), who obtained 41,54%.  A surprising victory, in the analysis of the specialists, above all for the difficulties at the start of his administration.  As a turning point for the PMDB, the support from the minister for national integration, Geddel Vieira Lima, was very important.  It permitted him to restore his credibility, and, though his works to improve the poorest areas of the city, he won the support of the citizens, arriving at 39.97% of the vote in the first round, with four other contenders.  The alliance with the Democrats then sealed the victory for João Henrique.
The re-election of the mayor has reignited hope in the population - especially in his supporters - based upon the issues in his program: to solve, before the end of his administration, problems in important areas such as: education, health, transport, tourism, housing, unemployment, street children, environmental improvements, and infrastructure works in the poor areas.  The victory also brings relief and hope to the young street artists of Salvador Grafita, a project of social transformation that improves self-esteem, fosters an interchange of ideas with artists from other regions and other countries, and provides professional development, beyond the beautification of the city.   As proof of this claim, a mere glance at some of the city’s districts will show how beautiful graffiti has transformed the landscape of each locality.

Among those who rejoice for the election of Henrique is the president of the Institute of Culture Brazil Italy Europe, Pietro Gallina, who hopes that in the coming year his requests will be answered.  He remembers that when the mayor visited the ICBIE, he promised his support for programs in the area of art and culture, to revitalize the Ribeira district.

Text and photos: JFParanaguá.

Now that the telephone line is finally hooked up, the new Rome office is fully functional.  The office hours have been set for Mondays and Fridays from 3-7 PM, and the telephone answering machine is always on.  The number is 06.89010848 and there is a new email address: icbie.it@gmail.com.   Marcella, Monica and Consuelo are handling all the business, and are cooking up all kinds of projects.  First of all, they are making plans for Val, a veteran ICBIE student who is coming from Salvador next month.  They have found a perfect venue where Val can give samba lessons at the Beba do Samba, over in San Lorenzo, near Rome University.  Beyond that, plans are being made for a pre-holiday ICBIE party, to be held on Saturday, December 13th.

Of course, the three girls hope their new office will become a hot spot for all our friends and supporters, so feel free to call, email, or visit them, especially if you’re willing to be put to work!

Yesterday’s post contained some pretty discouraging news, and in fact, for the last month or so, we have been forced to face a fair share of grim realities, because of our distressing financial straits.  But the ICBIE is blessed with good fortune, and the lucky breaks always appear at just the right moment, when our proverbial optimism is challenged by an overload of difficulties.  Last week was a perfect example: after exasperating discussions, the newsletter article was finished, and we were ready to go public with the painful decision of drastically reducing ICBIE activities during the first half of 2009.  About two hours later, out of the blue, Pietro received an email  announcing that the Howard University chapter of Engineers Without Borders had accepted our project for the construction of a theater building!

More than a year ago, our friend Phillip Wagner of Rhythm of Hope, after hearing of our dream of building a theater, convinced us to compile EWB’s long and detailed application form.  Without Phillip’s help (he had already worked with them on a sanitation project on Itaparica island), we never would have done this, so we owe him a huge barrelful of thank-you’s for his implacable insistence.   At any rate, last January we were informed that the central office had enthusiastically accepted our application.  But after that, one of their chapters had to choose to realize the project, and the long wait began.   Every month that passed, the subject became more remote, until it had quite entirely disappeared from our minds.

So their email came as a surprise, and at the perfect time!  Since then, we have exchanged a flurry of emails, and last Sunday we had a conference call between Washington, DC, Rome and Salvador, to introduce ourselves and to hash out the logistics for their preliminary visit to Salvador.  We spoke with Jomari Peterson, their dynamic project coordinator, Alexandria McBride, president of the Howard University EWB chapter, Bianca Bailey, fundraising coordinator, and with two participating students, Tiffany Smith and Aaron, their mental guru.  Phillip Wagner in Indianapolis, Pietro in Salvador and Roy in Rome completed the full polyphony of voices, as we discussed living conditions and cultural opportunities, blueprints and building permits, and decided upon dates — January 2 - 9 — for their first visit, when we will decide upon an archetectural design, survey the terrain, apply for permits and arrange for materials.  Later in 2009, they will return to begin the construction.

We are ecstatic to know that such a great group of inspired young Americans will be coming to Ribeira.  Coming from the most prestigious African American university, they will be able to work hand in hand with our community, which can proudly claim to possess the most vibrant Afro-Brazilian culture.  That this link up should happen at exactly the same time as the American elections is a wonderful but poignant coincidence.  Let’s hope that we will remember it as part of a global turning-point, when everyone suddenly discovered the joys of partnerships and solidarity!

This is the headline article from the latest ICBIE newsletter.  It is reprinted here because it contains important news, for our friends who have not yet subscribed (please go to www.icbie.com and sign up, if you haven’t!).

Everyone who comes in contact with the ICBIE is struck by the incredible optimism and idealism that fires our work in Salvador’s cidade baixa.  Although these expressions of buoyant confidence are absolutely genuine, unfortunately, that does not mean that everything is perfect.  Beneath the surface, under the exuberant sequence of courses, exhibitions, concerts and cultural projects lies a perpetual and fundamental problem that threatens our very survival: finances.  The extraordinary success of our work, which during the last year has caused all our courses to be packed full, encouraged us to expand our offerings, to meet the phenomenal demand for instruction.  At the same time, our ever-growing network of talented people has caused a parallel expansion of cultural events, such as the Ribeira Art Fair, the International Graffiti Meeting and the upcoming Week of the Italian Language in the World.  Pietro and Marlene have to organize, promote, administer and teach, a combination that makes their lives dauntingly difficult, with no free time for anything else, and they have continued to add to their work load, riding the uncontainable wave of devotion and commitment that makes the ICBIE so remarkable.  But deep down, it has become increasingly evident that all this activity is not financially sustainable, as our meager resources continue to dwindle, without any tangible signs of improvement.

In order to stabilize our cash flow, it is imperative that we succeed in securing a stable income, and in this moment of economic crisis, it is hard to imagine that our friends and supporters will suddenly start sending us significantly more money than in the past, so we have to target government grants.  But here lies the crux:  if Pietro and Marlene are already way over their heads in work, how can they find time to focus upon diligently studying the offerings of many different government agencies, then envisioning tailor made projects for each one, defining all the details and meeting all the deadlines, with all the stamps and seals?  Obviously, to find the time, they have to cut back, temporarily, on their regular work of teaching, organizing and promoting.

As a result, during the first semester of 2009, the ICBIE courses will be pruned down to a bare minimum, offering only advanced Italian language courses (to continue to develop our best students) and hapkido lessons (which are wonderfully run by Augusto, and cause no distractions for Pietro and Marlene).  All the cineforums, concerts and cultural initiatives (which take up so much of Pietro’s time) will suffer a temporary hiatus, but we will be joined by four professionals with experience in grant writing and fund raising. The ICBIE has a great track record, the local community has come to rely on us and we are warm friends with the newly re-elected mayor, João Henrique.  By temporarily ceasing most of our activities, we are signaling a loud alarm bell, one that will be heard all the way to city hall, the governor’s offices, and the ministries in Brasilia.  And also, we hope it will be heard by our friends all over the world, reminding them of both our great optimism and the dire straits that we face, helping the poor kids we love so much.