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How did Carnival come about in Brazil?
Around 1641, the Portuguese brought to Brazil the Entrudo, a street party practiced by slaves that involved throwing mud, urine, and feces at people. Banned in 1841 due to violence, the Entrudo was adapted and evolved until it became the current Carnival. The word “carnival” comes from the Latin “carnis levale” and means “to remove the flesh.” Carnival is a celebration of temporary subversion of order. In 1855, Rio de Janeiro hosted the first official Carnival parade in Campo de Santana, organized by Carnival societies. In 1917, Pelo Telefone (By Phone), the first Brazilian samba, was recorded. The first samba school parade took place in 1935, also in Campo de Santana. To consider whether Carnival is an artistic manifestation, it is necessary to examine the concept of art.
Plato - Art is a Negative Imitation of Reality
For Plato (427 BC - 347 BC), art is an imitation (mimesis) of the sensible world, which is already an imperfect copy of the world of ideas or perfect forms. Plato viewed art with suspicion, believing that it diverts people from the truth, which can only be achieved through reason and philosophy. For Plato, art is three times removed from the truth: the artist imitates objects from the physical world, which are imitations of ideal forms. Plato divided reality into two universes — the intelligible and the sensible — and saw art as a simulacrum that further distances us from reality. He preferred philosophy (reason) to poetry (emotion).
Aristotle - Art Reveals Universal Truths and Provides Catharsis
Unlike Plato, Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC) viewed art, especially tragedy, positively. He valued imitation for revealing universal truths and promoting the purification of emotions (catharsis). Art educates and refines emotions and helps us understand the human condition. Imitation, by promoting identification and awakening feelings, brings us closer to reality and prepares us for life in community. For Aristotle, the noblest actions, such as contemplation, are beautiful. Art should educate us in the values of the free man and teach us to appreciate contemplation more than the artist's skills. Aristotle valued leisure and activities conducted for their own sake, considering them more important for a happy and fulfilling life.
Plato and Aristotle - Pinterest
Thomas Aquinas – Art is a Human Activity that Imitates Nature and Divine Creation
Influenced by Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274) integrated his ideas into Christian theology, seeing art as an imitation of nature and divine creation. For him, beauty is a manifestation of God and art, by reflecting the order and harmony of the created world, can elevate the human soul and bring it closer to God. Aquinas valued art with a moral and spiritual purpose, helping to contemplate divine beauty. Aristotle believed that the senses of sight and hearing perceive beauty, while other senses do not. Beauty is linked to the concept of Good, which is what everyone desires.
Spinoza – Art is an Expression of the Human Capacity to Create and Understand the World
Baruch Spinoza (1632 – 1677), a 17th century rationalist, developed a systematic view of reality in his work “Ethics,” in which he presents nature or God as a single substance with infinite attributes, of which everything occurs as an expression of natural laws.
In Spinoza’s view, art is an expression of the human capacity to create and understand the world. Although he valued reason and knowledge, art serves to examine and express human understanding of nature and existence. Art can influence people’s emotional and spiritual state, helping them to better understand themselves and the world. Beauty can be seen as an expression of the natural order and harmony reflected in art. Spinoza believed that emotions result from the interaction between human desires and the external world.
Thomas Aquinas and Spinoza - Pinterest
Akira Kurosawa – Art Reflects Human Complexity in Search of Meaning
Akira Kurosawa (1910 - 1998) was a renowned Japanese filmmaker, known for his innovative visual style and profound narratives in genres such as historical dramas and samurai films. He shaped Japanese and global cinema, creating experiences that resonate across cultures. For Kurosawa, art is an expression of experience that reflects the complexity of the human condition and its search for meaning. He saw cinema not only as entertainment, but to investigate human nature and its conflicts to offer a profound and universal insight into life.
Joãosinho Trinta – Art is a Form of Cultural and Social Expression Accessible to All
Joãosinho Trinta (1933 - 2011), a renowned Brazilian Carnival designer, had a unique vision of art, especially during Carnival. He challenged prejudices and redefined popular art in Brazil by reinventing the samba school parades. Joãosinho Trinta innovated with large floats, excessive glitter, and the use of recycled material for costumes and floats, in addition to encouraging community projects such as the Mutirão (a kind of crowdsourcing).
With nine titles in the Special Group and known for the parade "Ratos e Urubus, Larguem Minha Fantasia" (Rats and Vultures, Drop My Costume) in 1989, Joãosinho Trinta saw art as deeply linked to popular culture and social inclusion. For him, Carnival uplifts the spirit, brings joy, and celebrates cultural identity. Joãosinho Trinta believed in the democratization of art, making it accessible to millions of people. His famous phrase, "Those who like poverty are intellectuals, the people like luxury", reflects his Carnival spirit.
Akira Kurosawa and Joãosinho Trinta - Pinterest
Clóvis de Barros Filho - Art is an Ethical Expression that Can Challenge Norms and Inspire Change
Clóvis de Barros Filho (1965), a contemporary philosopher, sees art as an ethical expression that challenges norms and inspires change. He believes that art provides transcendence, elevation and enriches life with beauty and reflection. For him, art reveals profound truths about the human condition. Authenticity and honesty are essential for its transformative impact.
What if Clóvis de Barros Filho commented on the definitions of art proposed by these thinkers?
Let us now do an exercise of imagination to answer, for Clóvis de Barros Filho, how the contributions of Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, Akira Kurosawa and Joãozinho Trinta would be analyzed considering their own principles on the authenticity, transformation, and impact of art on human life.
Clóvis de Barros Filho - Pinterest
Plato – Clovis would acknowledge Plato’s critique of art as a distant imitation of truth and Ideal Forms. However, he would argue that art, even when it is an imitation, has the potential to question and reflect reality, challenge norms, and inspire social and personal transformation. Plato’s definition would represent a warning about superficiality, but Clovis would also value art’s ability to provoke critical reflection on the human condition.
Aristotle – Aristotle’s view of art as a means of inducing catharsis would be appreciated by Clovis de Barros. He would see Aristotle’s approach as an acknowledgement of art’s power to transform and enrich the human experience, providing a profound aesthetic and emotional experience. Art’s ability to touch and influence emotions would reflect its importance in the pursuit of a full and meaningful life.
Thomas Aquinas – Clóvis de Barros Filho would acknowledge the importance of Thomas Aquinas in the search for order and harmony in art but would criticize his vision for being excessively rigid and normative. He would argue that art should transcend the mere reflection of a pre-established moral order, prioritizing authenticity, and personal expression. While appreciating the moral function of art according to Aquinas, Clóvis would argue that it should also promote transformation and deep reflection, capturing the complexity of human experience and not limiting itself to rigid values and norms.
Spinoza – Spinoza's perspective on art as an expression of emotions and a connection with the natural order would be welcomed by Clóvis as extremely relevant. He would value Spinoza's view that art can help understand and improve the human condition through the expression and reflection of emotions. He would agree that art has the power to reveal profound truths and promote a greater understanding of life and nature.
Akira Kurosawa – Clóvis de Barros would admire Kurosawa’s approach, which saw art to analyze the human condition and transcend cultural barriers. Kurosawa’s art would be an example of how artistic expression can offer a deeper insight into the human experience, challenging and enriching cultural and personal understanding. Clóvis would value Kurosawa’s authenticity and ability to provoke meaningful thought about life and existence.
Joãozinho Trinta – Clóvis would value the way in which Carnival art can provoke analysis and questioning of social values. Joãosinho Trinta transformed Beija-Flor and the Rio Carnival, valorized popular culture, and challenged established norms. He knew how to combine dramatic and symbolic elements, an example of how art can enrich life and offer a new perspective on the human condition.
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֍ Plato
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