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Rio's Carnival: Subversion in Costume

18 Feb

Summary

Carnival contrasts wealth with poverty and joy with labor.
Costumes like nuns and police subvert traditional authority figures.
Street theatre and play allow for reconsideration of power.

Rio de Janeiro's carnival is a spectacle of contrasts, artfully blending elements of wealth and poverty, joyful abandon and diligent labor. A central theme explored through its visual expression is the notion of power. In Brazil, a nation with the world's largest Catholic population, the carnival grounds are awash with racy nun costumes.

Alongside these, revellers don sexy police outfits, highlighting carnival's inherent subversive nature. These costumes reinterpret authority figures, softening them and turning them on their heads. Through street theatre and playful improvisation, carnival allows for a unique reconsideration of established power structures.

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