Monumento às Bandeiras

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The Monumento às Bandeiras is a monument in the Brazilian city ​​of São Paulo . It stands on the elliptical Praça Armando de Sales Oliveira , immediately north of Parque do Ibirapuera . The design comes from the Italian-Brazilian sculptor Victor Brecheret .

story

Construction of the monument began as early as 1921 under the then governor of the state of São Paulo and later Brazilian president Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa . It was supposed to be erected on the 100th anniversary of Brazil's independence from Portugal. Crises and the takeover by Getúlio Vargas in 1930 delayed completion. It was finally inaugurated in 1954 on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the city's foundation.

The monument is dedicated to the Bandeirantes (German flag bearers ). They formed expedition troops made up of Portuguese and African as well as indigenous slaves , who from the 17th century explored and developed the Brazilian interior in search of building and arable land, mineral resources and other slaves . They moved along the rivers to La Plata and the Amazon . Many bandeirantes left São Paulo.

layout

The 12 m high and 43 m long expressionist monument made of gray granite is located on the axis Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral / Avenida Brasil , giving the impression that the troop is moving north along the street. The line of people is led by two men on horseback. They are followed by other men and a woman with a baby in her arms. All figures are largely unclothed. From the physiognomy you can see that there are different ethnic groups. The rear half consists of a canoe that is pulled by the group. Cross pendants around the necks of the slaves also refer to the proselytizing of the indigenous population. At the feet of the horses there is a map of Brazil engraved in the granite, on which the routes of the Bandeiras inland are drawn. Around the base there are other hymns of praise for the Bandeiras.

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  • Índio do Monumento às Bandeiras.jpg
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  • Soldado ferido no Monumento às Bandeiras.jpg
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public perception

Figures with mouth and nose protection in May 2020

The monument has various nicknames. So it is called Empurra-Empurra ("pushing-pushing"), as an ironic allusion to the fact that the boat does not move forward despite the force applied. The name Deixa que eu empurro (“Let me push”) refers to the fact that apparently only the person at the back is actively involved in the transport of the ship by pushing. The ropes of the other figures are not taut.

The monument is also very present in the cityscape. For the 2014 FIFA World Cup , it was illuminated in green and yellow. On April 26, 2017, the figures were given hearing protection to draw attention to the noise pollution in large cities. On May 12, 2020, the Monumento and 15 other monuments in São Paulo were given surgical masks on the initiative of the state and city government to draw attention to their benefits in connection with the corona pandemic . Due to the extremely high number of infections, the use of masks in São Paulo has also been mandatory in public spaces since May 7, 2020.

criticism

After the paint job in October 2016

However, the Monumento às Bandeiras, along with other monuments, has been criticized again and again in recent years. The monuments are perceived as an affront by the indigenous population of Brazil because they hide the bloodshed and the exploitation of their ancestors and portray the perpetrators as heroes. In October 2013, the memorial was smeared with red paint to draw attention to the shed blood of the indigenous people.

Criticisms rose again in connection with the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. Shortly after the memorial for the bandeirante Borba Gato went up in flames during a protest on July 24, 2021 , the Brazilian news portal Universo Online published a list of 14 monuments of São Paulo that are now considered morally open to challenge.

The cleaning costs resulting from repeated vandalism are also causing criticism. In October 2016, for example, the cleaning costs borne by the city amounted to 37,000 real (approx. 6,000 €) after another paint job .

Web links

Commons : Monumento às Bandeiras  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Margaret Imbroisi: Monumento às Bandeiras. Historia das Artes, October 24, 2016, accessed August 8, 2021 (Brazilian Portuguese).
  2. ↑ Monumento às Bandeiras ganha cores do Brasil. Jornal Zona Sul, March 6, 2014, accessed August 8, 2021 (Brazilian Portuguese).
  3. ↑ Monumento às Bandeiras amanhece com protetores Auditivos. Veja São Paulo, April 26, 2017, accessed August 8, 2021 (Brazilian Portuguese).
  4. ↑ Monumento às bandeiras ganha máscaras. Jornal Zona Sul, May 12, 2020, accessed August 8, 2021 (Brazilian Portuguese).
  5. ↑ “Monumento às Bandeiras homenageia aqueles que nos massacaram”, diz liderança indígena. In: revistaforum.com.br. Revista Fórum, October 5, 2013, accessed August 7, 2021 (Brazilian Portuguese).
  6. ^ Daniela Mercier: Estátua de Borba Gato, símbolo da escravidão em São Paulo, é incendiada por ativistas. El Pais, July 24, 2012, accessed August 7, 2021 (Brazilian Portuguese).
  7. ↑ levantamento indica 14 monumentos alvos de contestação na Cidade de SP. In: uol.com.br. UOL, July 31, 2021, accessed August 7, 2021 (Portuguese).
  8. ↑ Em 1 dia, limpeza de Monumento às Bandeiras custou R $ 37 mil. In: g1.globo.com. October 1, 2016, accessed August 7, 2021 (Brazilian Portuguese).

Coordinates: 23 ° 34 ′ 48 ″  S , 46 ° 39 ′ 38.5 ″  W.