Bate-Bola - Rio Secret Carnival
Rio's suburban futuristic, sweet & violent clowns erupt during carnival.
Turma do Indio - Guadalupe - Zona Norte, Rio de Janeiro 2017
When the focus of the carnival is set on the glamorous Sambodrome and its tightly rhythmed samba parades, curious creatures overflow the abandoned suburban streets of Rio. Their soundtrack is not Samba, but Funk Carioca.
The phenomenon dazes the eye. It follows the tradition of street-art: vivacious, inventive, ever evolving. It is here that lies Rio's carnival's real originality. Yet this suburbanand favela-born expression continues unacknowledged by the Brazilian media and high society. It is difficult to understand how such a loud and bright movement could remain so muffled.
Bate Bola, or "hit the ball" in Portuguese is indeed loud and bright. Each year, gangs soaring up to a 300 members, orchestrate their much awaited "Saída" (exit in Portuguese) in a flamboyant mise-en-scène, thus presenting the year's new theme and costume design. Much like thunderous hounds, these bright clowns roar through the suburbs thrashing their ball on the ground, seizing the senses. They both delight and terrorize screaming children all at once, much like a rollercoaster ride. Yet in spite of their mainly male tribal performance, their costumes are oddly feminine. Their dresses' bright colors and exaggerated volumes, actually make them look like over-sized lollipops. The tainted plumes, Disney-like drawings on the shiny materials add to their irresistible appeal, while the peach or strawberry perfume they copiously splash on constitutes the final touch of an almost unbearable sweetness.
"Clashes" between rivals sometimes skid. That's why many groups have adopted the umbrella in place of the balloon, to openly show their peaceful mood.
The rivalry - ubiquitous - is mostly limited to a verbal brawl. It's part of the game.
The groups scrutinize and compare their disguises to the smallest detail. The making of the costume is a complex, elaborate art. Each year, each group makes a new costume in its entirety. Everything is homemade or by specialists and the cost is extremely high. A suit can cost 600 euros, or three months minimum wage in Brazil - ordered from the group leader (who is both the artist and the authority holder) and paid in monthly parcels throughout the year. This shows the degree of desire for art and sublimation of the daily lives of the inhabitants of the less favored areas of Rio. It all starts with the choice of the main theme: Saint George slaying the dragon - syncretism of the warrior orisha Ogum, the world of Walt Disney, the history of Brazil or the latest Hollywood blockbusters.
While the middle class and the elite of Rio still misunderstood the phenomenon, the Bate Bola seems to ignite the northern neighborhoods. It's hard to understand why these big boys would like to disguise themselves as pink clowns, scented with strawberry or vanilla. How does Bate-Bola bring so many people together each year? We are talking about 1000 groups, from 3 to 250 members each, throughout the state of Rio.
It should not be forgotten that most come from favelas and that all year they are ignored by the rest of society.
Ritual belonging, collective identification, solidarity within the group, it seems that the phenomenon attracts all participants. In some groups, police, bandits, people who normally make war but who during the carnival forget their differences and come together for the pleasure of going out in Bate-Bola! A small miracle in this city where war is literally raging between police and favelas. A carnival on the sidelines of the official organization, often threatened with prohibition and whose music is also "badly seen": the clowns parade and dance on Funk carioca, a rhythm whose freedom is threatened more and more.
See more images at my Editorial website
Publications : there’s a cool article & portfolio at Atlas Obscura about the Bate-Bola (in English) and a video at Brazil 21 TV (French)
During June & July 2016, for the first time of a half century of existence of the Clovis / Bate-bola culture, an exhibit took place in the heart of their territory; the gallery of the SESC-Madureira. Not only a photography exhibit, but also complete outfits and masks, debates & lectures.
Back in 2015, at the CACP-Vila Pérochon in the town of Niort, France, I had an outdoor show of this series.
