Julio Ludemir

29^th part of the First Rio City Aesthetic Marathon (concept): 0.268 kilometers in 7:11 minutes – completed on Saturday, April 16^th 2016, in the quarters Babilônia and Leme (overall map). The author Julio Ludemir (*1960) lives in Rio de Janeiro (more about him).

Why did you choose this part to represent Rio de Janeiro at the First Rio City Aesthetic Marathon?

First of all because I live here. I live close to the place where we began our marathon. This is my place. It is the place from where I speak to the town and where the town speaks to me. But there is a second and basic reason, why I went this way: because we just passed a sort of magic door, a door like the one of Harry Potter, it reveals how Rio de Janeiro is for real. We, for example, we are at this moment in one of the richest quarters of town where a square metre is most expensive, maybe the most expensive of the country. We are in an area which has a beach, tourism, a wealthy middle class. However, a little more than 100 metres from here, in a distance of 10 steps, you have two towns, more than two towns. There are two types of people: people on the other side, by the majority dark-skinned, and people on this side, quite white-skinned. The people on the other side are poor and the people on this side are rich and well situated.

It is typical as both sides of town are connected with each other. Here this side is absolutely indifferent towards what takes place on the other side. This can be observed very easily. It does not concern a periphery like the periphery of the world which is a long way off. It is the periphery directly at the crossroads. This is the exact reproduction of what concerns the relation between mansion and slave hut in Brazil. Mansion and slave hut stand very close to each other, have a close relationship. This has been reproduced, historically seen, in the services, always favourable services between the lower and the upper class. And the whole slavish past still exists, it is found here in our everyday life, and all what the white population of the middle class behind the magic door is interested in, is the inexpensive and quick service for which they do not have to ask. They just say: I want this! The superior white middle class does not know the word, the word please. Excuse me. All the things the Favela produces, the remains of the slave hut, originate from absolute duty. Their vital plan says that they must do this. That's why I wanted to show the magic door. Because she shows perfectly what Rio de Janeiro stands for.

Your favourite art place?
Babilônia.

Your favourite shop in Rio?
I don´t have any.

Your favourite restaurant in Rio – and what should you order there?
Gaia, Rua Gustavo Sampaio, Leme.

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