In the dark underbelly of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, a surrealist renaissance takes root in the face of war and devastation. Tainan Cabral, a 34-year-old artist who has dedicated his soul to painting barricades since 2019. These colorful works of art have undoubtedly become fierce emblems of both opposition and chaos. His vibrant, psychedelic artwork brightens the bleak streets, transforming them into what he envisions as “postwar” memorials, should peace ever return to the region.
Cabral’s story starts from his childhood, as he watched barricades and barriers suddenly multiply around his home in the favela. These barriers, usually set up by the gangs, act not only as a physical but as a psychological line of control. Cabral’s bright color palette is alluring and immediately eye-catching. This colorful option offers a bright counterpoint to the brutal truth of favela existence. He wants to insert beauty into a landscape frequently touched by violence.
“Barricades transmit a climate of war … I try to turn them into sculptural monuments … I started to see this place as a sculpture park,” Cabral explains, highlighting his desire to reframe the narrative surrounding these structures.
Cabral beautifies the streets through this art, his work is always in danger. The new creations are often damaged or destroyed due to the ongoing violence in the area. This sobering fact illustrates the uphill battle that artists must climb while working in these highly creative and volatile economic ecosystems.
To counter the increasing spread of these barricades, Rio’s government created the Special Operations Support Centre (NAOE) in 2020. Led by Lt. Luiz Felipe Medeiros, this unit comprises 41 operatives tasked with dismantling these structures to “re-establish the constitutional right to come and go” in gang-run favelas.
Since January, military police have removed barricades from over 2,500 sites. That’s 28,155 tonnes of rubble as much as 125 Statues of Liberty! Lt. Claudia Moraes, a spokesperson for Rio’s military police force, describes the barricades as “an affront to the state and society as a whole.”
Medeiros’ unit goes out on missions sometimes lasting eight hours. Through this process, they both address physical barriers and contend with the adverse social environment that persists in these communities. As one gunrunner noted, “They’re there to put the brakes on the cops,” indicating that these barricades serve a dual purpose: protection for gangs and a barrier against law enforcement.
Even with police attempting to remove barricades, Cabral is undeterred in this effort to expand his artistic practice. His use of “cheerful tones that convey peace, tranquility and freshness … because the barricades are bad enough on their own” reflects his hope for a future where such barriers are no longer necessary.
Cabral wants to beautify both literally and metaphorically through his work. Along the way, he provokes reflection on the social strife that has engulfed Rio de Janeiro. His often monumental murals on buildings and sidewalks urge residents and visitors to reexamine their ideas about struggle and strength.