i don´t seem able to load any photos at this time, so here are some others, similar to some of my own, of ouro preto, a great colonial town sculpted into the hills of Brazil...

contemporary art in brazil

went here today in person... one of the best possible museums...
it is work from artists from all over, including but not limited to brazil, and the setting and atmosphere is amazing and fabulous...

http://www.inhotim.org.br

some pics in pampulha, belo horizonte, brazil

here's selmin's blog with some info and pics of belo horizonte:

http://www.lonelysatellite.blogspot.com/

thinking space

Bachelard, from The Poetics of Space


"For the house furnishes us dispersed images and a body of images at the same time. In both cases, I shall prove that imagination augments the values of reality."

"We are never real historians, but always near poets."

"Through poems, perhaps more than through recollections, we touch the ultimate poetic depth of the space of the house."

"Thus we cover the universe with drawings we have lived. These drawings need not be exact. They need only to be tonalized on the mode of our inner space."

or the spacial geography of
the unintended
opportunity
a counseling
or the movement shiver
of water across a puddle
under sun
we tried once
a topographic understanding
inhabited by mountains of image
and decor
but the specific leaf wanders
across town in search
of any new way
to see

brazil aug 2007

visiting belo horizonte, brazil for 2 weeks to co-teach a seminar at UMFG (University Federal at Minais Gerais)...

the hostel:

the hostel has breakfast and finally today we got up for it...
yesterday i slept 'til almost 10 i think... pretty tired... and today
we were up and out in better time... there's an open patio
between the "dining" room and our room with many plants, trees, vine growing vegetation,
some little palm trees, flowers... sort of tropical...
and the dining area (also where we sit to use the computer and work) has a big
glass door that just stays open to the outside patio...
a nice cool but fresh breeze blows around the patio this morning... temps in the 70s, sunny, perfect...


the hostel room:

tiny room with tiny little beds and a tiny little bathroom... also include a little refrigerador and a little tv...


portugese:

no one speaks english. portugese is not like spanish. sometimes i can communicate a sentence or an idea. but i can't understand any of what is said back to me. i listen to the portugese cds and read the phrasebooks... but by the end of 2 weeks i'll no little more than how to order beer and food from a menu.


the seminar course:

critical geography, globalism, urban experience... sounds good.... we're still figuring out how/what we're talking about... spending today reading and preparing to begin the class tomorrow... will post some interesting or relevant quotes that might help focus/locate the ideas for the course... selmin is good and smart and insightful... and i can talk and make things up... so i think we'll get through it alright...


writing:

i don't know if i can write any poems here. i will record my thoughts. consider images. take notes... the actual writing always comes later, on the verge of forgetting...


photos:

to come.