It’s a well known fact that all the members of the ICBIE team are constantly spreading the gospel, crusading for the cause and proselytizing shamelessly, but this takes the cake.
Last Friday, our faithful director of the Rome office Monica Bernardi gave birth to a strapping lad named Diego, and he’s screaming out our praises already.
Congratulations to Monica and a warm welcome to Diego!
Maybe it was because Pietro was in town, but the Rome office of ICBIE Europa has been buzzing like a beehive, cooking up all kinds of projects, thanks to the enthusiasm of its wonderful supporters, old and new. Last Wednesday evening, Pietro’s famous little apartment was stuffed full, as we had a final meeting with “o Presidente” (he departed from Rome on Friday morning, and at this moment is aboard his flight from Frankfurt to Salvador: Boa viagem, Pietro!).
Old supporters like David, Monica, Loona and Paolo had to snap into gear when they heard all the news from our newer members Damiano and Roberto, who are doing a terrific job organizing a whole summer full of events on the Roman seashore, at Porto di Enea (Capocotta). Every Saturday night from 6 PM onwards, there will be Brazilian cocktails and plenty of live capoeira and samba music until late at night. In August, we will be promoting concerts of Fred Menendez and his band, who are coming direct from Salvador. A whole summer, full of fun-packed crusading for the ICBIE cause!
Arrasta pé em Sapé
(English translation below)
Muita animação, num clima de festejos juninos, no último domingo (21) na residência do assessor e coordenador do Projeto Grafita da Prefeitura Municipal de Salvador, Evandro Castro “Tucunaré”, na cidade de Sapeaçu (BA). Amendoim, salgado, licor, laranja, cerveja bem gelada não faltaram, e os familiares, jovens e convidados, inclusive os amigos recém chegados da Itália Greta Salavolti e Stefano Piccinini da Arci Solitarietà de Reggio Emilia e Davide Diacci de Modena, caíram no ritmo das músicas do forró. A galera, além de participar da quadrilha animada por Wilma, ainda saboreou os deliciosos pratos de dona Neuza, mãe do anfitrião.
JFParanaguá
It’s the time of the June holidays, and in the Bahian city of Sapeaçu there was plenty of excitement last Sunday (the 21st) at the home of Evandro Castro “Tucunaré,” the Salvador city council member and coordinator of the Grafita Project. There were plenty of salt peanuts, liqueurs, oranges, and ice cold beer for the youths, family and friends, including Greta Salavolti and Stefano Piccinini, who had recently arrived from Italy, visiting the ICBIE from ARCI Solidarietà in Reggio Emilia, and Davide Diacci from Modena. Everyone immediately fell into the rhythm of the forrò music. They crowded together to participate in Wilma’s animated quadrilles and then gobbled up the delicious dishes of Dona Neuza, the hostess.
JFParanaguá
Special thanks to our good friend Gesa Chomé for this exciting news regarding Pietro’s efforts in Germany.
After the very successful presentation of the pictures of D’Artagnan by the MOMA in New York and by the Italian Institute of Culture together with the Fil museum in Amsterdam, it is now envisaged by the Management Board of the ICBIE to organize a multimedia presentation in Berlin. Therefore, the director of the ICBIE, Pietro Gallina, was in Berlin from the 11th to the 14th of June in order to discuss this project with the director of the Italian Institute of Culture, who was very interested in this project and agreed to organize it at the end of the year. And, as has already been done in Amsterdam, in order to show the multi-talents of D’Artagnan as a painter and an actor, Mr. Gallina intends also in Berlin to show a choice of his films, especially the films of Federico Fellini, who was a very close friend of D’Artagnan. The famous Berliner Filmmuseum Potsdamer Platz would be the best place for that, and first contacts have been made with their management board.
Finally Pietro Gallina contacted several galleries in Berlin for the preparation of the exposition of the paitings.
Naturally some time was spent for tourism, especially the Brandenburger Tor,
the Reichstag and the Holocaust Museum.
And also for new youth exchange projects with young Spanish migrants in Berlin
and with alternative city transportation projects run by students.
Berlin with it’s very special history and where more than hundred languages are spoken offers a lot of possibilities for cooperation which should be explored over time.
THE GRAFFITI OF THE BERLIN WALL
During his visit in Berlin, Pietro Gallina was confronted with the preparations for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall (9 November 1989). He got the occasion to see the photos of his friend Gesa Chomé (Berlin), who took pictures of the most famous graffiti in the years before 1989 (which all disappeared when the painted parts wall were cut into pieces and sold all over the world). And as Pietro Gallina is deeply involved in the “Youth graffiti project” of the City Council of Salvador da Bahia, he spontaneously decided to plan an exposition of the wall paintings of Berlin in the ICBIE in Salvador. Naturally, for the historic date of 9th November. For this common project, Gesa Chomé showed him the “East Side Gallery,” which is a real part of the wall (about 250 m!) covered with marvellous graffiti painted after 1989 (ph 7) and the “Wall museum” where the whole history of the Wall is shown.
(English translation below)
L’ICBIE Europa ONLUS é ancora una volta presente in una manifestazione culturale importante nella capitale romana.
Dopo l’ultima esposizione della mostra fotografica ALAGADOS presso il Beba do Samba a San Lorenzo in occasione del “Festival Roma Napoli Rio”, festival di musica e cultura brasiliana conclusosi il 6 giugno scorso, l’ICBIE si sposta a Garbatella in occasione della XVI Edizione della Festa per la Cultura.
Cosí sabato 13 giugno dalle 15 del pomeriggio fino a notte i nostri meravigliosi soci e collaboratori: Pina, Gianfranco, Roberto, Monica, Loona, Anna, Paolo e scusate se ne dimentico qualcuno strada facendo, hanno presieduto lo stand ICBIE Europa ONLUS dedicandosi alla promozione dell’Associazione e della donazione del 5×1000 e occupandosi di vendere lo splendido artigianato brasiliano. Ad arricchire il nostro stand, naturalmente le eloquenti immagini della mostra fotografica “ALAGADOS, giornata nella favela di Salvador de Bahia in compagnia degli amici grafiteiros brasiliani”.
Grazie ancora una volta all’impegno di tutti e a tutti i presenti e partecipanti.
Marcella
Once again, the ICBIE Europa non-profit is present at an important cultural event in the capital city of Rome. After the last Alagados photography exhibition at the Beba do Samba in San Lorenzo, as part of the “Rome Naples Rio Festival” of Brazilian music and culture that ended on June 6th, the ICBIE moved to Garbatella for the sixteenth edition of the Festa per la Cultura.
As a result, on Saturday, June 13th from 3 PM on into the night our marvelous members and collaborators Pina, Gianfranco, Roberto, Monica, Loona, Anna, Paolo and excuse me if I missed someone along the way, manned the ICBIE Europa stand, dedicating themselves to the promotion of the association and urging the donation of “cinque per mille” on Italian taxes, besides selling some splendid Brazilian handicrafts. Decorating our stand were naturally the eloquent images of the Alagados photos, taken during that wonderful day last summer with the Brazilian graffiti artist friends.
Thanks again for everybody’s hard work!
Thanks to our dear friend Mary Norris for sending this picture, taken of a window at the “Sushi Samba” (!!) restaurant on the east side in New York City. A new chapter of government repression?
Estudantes do Texas visitam ICBIE
A mensagem postada na última terça-feira, 2, no meu site A Arte na Rua, pelo estudante de cinema Jordan Garcia da Universidade do Texas (EUA), querendo obter informações a respeito das intervenções urbanas em Salvador, foi de fundamental importância para o documentário que ele e o seu colega Gideon de Villiers vão produzir sobre a arte do grafite baiano.
Jordan veio a Salvador para aprender Português, como parte do programa de intercâmbio com a Associação Cultural Brasil Estados Unidos (ACBEU) e, Gideon, com a finalidade de fazer um documentário sobre a cidade. Ao circular pelas ruas de Salvador e descobrir as belas obras de artes de grafites com diversidades de cores e estilos estampadas nos muros, paredes e tapumes, tiveram a certeza de que esse seria o tema.
A partir dos contatos mantidos posteriormente com Jordan, fornecendo-lhe elementos e dados sobre os escritores de rua e os jovens grafiteiros do Projeto Salvador Grafita, assumi o compromisso de levá-los ao ICBIE. Lá, eles teriam a oportunidade de dialogar com os grafiteiros do projeto e, também, conhecer os vários programas desenvolvidos pela instituição, a exemplo do Projeto Oficina de Rua, com apoios da Arci Solidarietà da Região Emilia Romana, prefeituras de Salvador e de Bologna (Itália).
Na sexta-feira, 5, acompanhado por Jordan, Gideon e mais dois amigos, o holandês Tim van der Moer (responsável pela tradução) e o baiano Vitor Carmo, fiz um roteiro até a Ribeira, mostrando- lhes alguns pontos turísticos e locais onde existem pinturas de grafites. Para minha alegria, o grupo foi recepcionado por Marcella Sgura, voluntária italiana do ICBIE, recém chegada a Salvador, que organizou o encontro com os grafiteiros Pinel, Júlio Costa, Baga, Bigod, Prisk, Questão, Bigu, Roque, Drico, Ásia, Thito Lama, Covero, Kátia, Brisa, dentre outros.
Além disso, Marcela e a professora e diretora do ICBIE, Marlene Souza, deram detalhes das atividades sociais e culturais que vem sendo promovidas como cursos de línguas de italiano e inglês e informática para jovens carentes do bairro da Ribeira e adjacências, exposições, organização de eventos internacionais de grafites, dentre outros. Os estudantes ficaram de retornar na próxima semana, para conhecer mais de perto o trabalho do ICBIE, e agregar mais informações para o documentário.
Texto: JFParanaguá e Marcella Sgura
Fotos: JFParanaguá.
Students from Texas visit the ICBIE
Last Tuesday, a message posted on my site A Arte na Rua by the cinema student Jordan Garcia of the University of Texas (USA), asking for information about the urban activities in Salvador, was of fundamental importance for the documentary that he and his colleague Gideon de Villiers want to make about Bahian graffiti art.
Jordan came to Salvador to learn Portuguese, as part of an exchange program with the Brazil United States Cultural Association (ACBEU), and Gideon came with the objective of making a documentary about the city. While touring the streets of Salvador they discovered the beautiful graffiti artworks with so many different colors and styles plastered on walls, fences and barriers, so they chose this as their theme.
After getting in touch with Jordan, giving him insformation and data about street artists and the young graffiti writers of the Salvador Grafita project, I decided to take them to the ICBIE. There, they would have the opportunity to talk with the project artists and also, they could get acquainted with the various programs carried out by the Institute, such as the Oficina de Rua project, supported by ARCI Solidarietà of the Reggio Emilia region and the cities of Salvador and Bologna.
On Friday the 5th, accompanied by Jordan, Gideon and two other friends, the Dutchman Tim van der Moer (who acted as translator) and the Bahian Vitor Carmo, I took a tour around Ribeira, showing them some of the tourist attractions and places were there are graffiti paintings. I was happy when the group was greeted by Marcella Sgura, the Italian ICBIE volunteer who recently returned to Salvador, who organized a meeting with the artists Pinel, Júlio Costa, Baga, Bigod, Prisk, Questão, Bigu, Roque, Drico, Ásia, Thito Lama, Covero, Kátia and Brisa, among others.
Afterwards, Marcella and the professor and director of the ICBIE Marlene Souza explained in detail the social and cultural activities that are being offered, as well as the courses of computer science and Italian and English languages, together with exposititions and the organization of international graffiti events, all of which are given to the needy youths of Ribeira and its neighboring districts. The students promised to return next week, to learn more about the ICBIE’s work, adding more information for their documentary.
Texto: JFParanaguá e Marcella Sgura
Fotos: JFParanaguá.
(English translation below)
Ciao a tutti cari amici del nostro blog.
Sono tornata per la terza volta all’ICBIE a Salvador ed ogni anno l’Istituto si arricchisce di collaboratori preziosi e di iniziative ed incontri importanti.
Qualche giorno fa Julio vi há parlato delle splendide Vanessa, Isabela e Raquel e quindi non mi resta che confermare il loro costante impegno e la loro dedizione per la causa comune ICBIE. Vanessa e Isabel insieme all’instancabile Marlene pensano, elaborano e scrivono progetti su progetti da presentare alle varie istituzioni brasiliane per chiedere e speriamo ottenere finanziamenti. I temi sono diversi: la nostra preziosa Biblioteca, lo splendido corso di Haipkido di Augusto che riesce a coinvolgere tanti bambini ed adolescenti, le diverse attivitá culturali dell’ICBIE e non ultimo il secondo incontro internazionale di grafiti in Bahia. Quest’ultimo dando la giusta prosecuzione al primo realizzato l’anno scorso e in continuitá con il Progetto Oficina de Rua che sta andando a gonfie vele. Sotto “l’artistico” coordinamento di Julio il progetto porta all’ICBIE ogni venerdi decine e decine di grafitari che seguono i corsi di italiano, storia dell’arte, educazione cívica (cidadania) e ancora gli aspiranti grafitari che seguono ogni sabato mattina il corso di grafiti tenuto dallo stesso Julio.
E poi ci sono i lavori di ristrutturazione e risistemazione della cucina dell’ostello che Richard (per gli amici l’Angolano) e Ricardo ( per tutti Bogus) stanno portando avanti con instancabile perseveranza in modo che il nostro ostello sia sempre al massimo per accogliere gli ospiti.
E poi non mancano le visite importanti, come quella di oggi di Gisele Reis e Damar, due delle responsabili della scuola di lingua Diálogo (www.dialogo.tur.br) che, localizzata nel quartiere di Barra, organizza corsi di lingua portoghese per gli stranieri indirizzando gli stessi verso varie possibilitá di alloggio. Per questo da tale incontro nasce un’altra importante opportunitá di collaborazione per l’ICBIE e perché il suo ostello possa ospitare sempre nuovi gruppi di persone interessate a scoprire la realtá e la cultura brasiliana.
Insomma l’ICBIE é super attivo e sprizza vitalitá e speranza di miglioramento sempre da tutti i pori!!!! Incrociamo le dita perché i diversi progetti che stiamo presentando siano approvati e finanziati da chi di dovere!!!!!!!!
A presto
Marcella
Hi to all the dear friends of our blog.
I just returned to the ICBIE for the third time and every year the Institute is enriched by precious collaborators and by important initiatives and encounters.
A few days ago Julio told you about the splendid girls Vanessa, Isabela and Raquel, so I only have to confirm their constant efforts and their devotion for the ICBIE cause. Vanessa and Isabel, together with the tireless Marlene, discover, elaborate and write up project after project, to present to various Brazilian institutions, asking for and hopefully obtaining financing. The themes are diverse: our precious library, Augusto’s splendid Hapkido course (that manages to involve so many children and adolescents), the many cultural activities of the ICBIE and, not least of all, the second international Bahia graffiti meeting, which hopes to continue the success of last year’s event, enriched by the new energy of the Oficina de Rua project that is going great guns. Under the “artistic” guidance of Julio the project attracts dozens and dozens of graffiti artists who are taking courses in Italian, art history, civics and leadership, as well as the aspiring graffiti artists who take Julio’s graffiti course every Saturday morning.
Then there are the restructuring works, re-designing the hostel kitchen, that Richard (called the Angolano by friends) and Ricardo (called Bogus by everyone) are tirelessly persevering to complete, so our hostel can be at its best to receive our guests.
Besides that, there are important visits, such as today’s meeting with Gisele Reis and Damar from the language school Diálogo (www.dialogo.tur.br), that, located in the Barra district, organizes courses in Portuguese for foreigners and is in need of finding housing. As a result, today’s meeting gives birth to another important opportunity for collaboration with the ICBIE, because our hostel is always happy to find new people who are interested in discovering the realities of our local Brazilian culture.
In short, the ICBIE is as busy as ever, full of vitality and the hope of improving. We keep our fingers crossed, hoping that the various projects that we are applying for will be approved and financed!!!!!
A presto
Marcella