Arthur Bispo do Rosário

arthur do rosario

Arthur Bispo do Rosário was a Brazilian artist who spent fifty years confined to the attic of a psychiatric institution.

It is assumed that Arthur Bispo do Rosario lived for about 80 years – no one knows the exact year of his birth. He spent 50 of these years as an intern at an old mental hospital in Rio de Janeiro called Juliano Moreira, being 25 continuous years until his death in 1989.

Latinos in London l www.LatinosInLondon.com's avatarWWW.LATINOSINLONDON.COM

This display at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum brings together over 80 artworks ranging from sculptures, hand-embroidered banners and garments, showcasing the variety and creativity of Arthur Bispo do Rosario (1909-1989), one of Brazil’s most recognised artists.

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Today I stole Frida’s flowers

Frida's Flowers

 Today I stole Frida’s flowers…

My friend, Franca, and I recently went to see the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale.  I have a passion for huipiles and since Frida wore them all the time, the exhibit demanded my attention.   But this post is not about the exhibition itself. It’s about the Scuderie.  “Scuderie” means “stables” and this space, built in the 1700s, originally housed the Pope’s horses. But in the 1990s it was remodeled by the architect Gae Aulenti and transformed into an important exhibition center.

frida kahlo exhibit

 Waiting in line to see the exhibition…

frida kahlo exhibit

After  Frida, there was something else to see at the Scuderie–a panoramic view!

Scuderie del Quirinale

In the background, l’ Altare della Patria, a monument built in honour of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy.

L’ Altare della Patria has created much controversy for two reasons:  not many believe Victor Emmanuel deserved a monument and not many like its excessive presence (often  comparing it to a giant wedding cake).  But it has a rooftop bar with a great view!

Scuderie del Quirinale

Scuderie del Quirinale

franca

Franca

 Quirinale

entrance to the Quirinale

The Scuderie is next to the Quirinal Palace commonly known as the Quirinale. It’s thus named because it sits on  the Quirinal Hill, the highest of the seven hills of Rome. Since it’s where the President of the Italian Republic lives, it’s a kind of Italian White House although popes and kings have also lived here. In the middle of this piazza is an obelisk taken from the Mausoleum of Augustus. It’s flanked by the statues of Dioscuri with the horse tamers, Castor and Pollux.

Quirinale

Quirinale

And thanks to Franca for the photos of the Quirinal Piazza and of me with Frida!

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Rebozo for Labor

rebozo-negro

Rebozo con figuras y aroma

“Rebozos can be used as wraps and shawls to keep you warm in cooler weather, as pregnancy and labor tools for midwives and doulas and as baby slings.”

Katie's avatarHarmony Doulas

What is a Rebozo?

The rebozo is a traditional Mexican shawl that is long enough to wrap around a woman’s body, with a little extra (about 4-5 feet). A large scarf or piece of fabric can also be used as a rebozo.

How can a Rebozo be used?

Rebozos can be used as wraps and shawls to keep you warm in cooler weather, as pregnancy and labor tools for midwives and doulas and as baby slings.

How is a rebozo used during labor?

When used by a labor coach, the rebozo acts like an extension of your arms. It allows you to help support the laboring mother’s weight so she doesn’t have to. It can also be used to help with fetal positioning. It can help to successfully turn a baby from a posterior position (baby’s back to mothers back) to an anterior one (baby’s back to the front).

Rebozo Techniques

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THE REBOZO – Mexican’s most important wardrobe piece

women wearing rebozos

Women wearing rebozos

(see also babies being carried using rebozos HERE)

The making of a rebozo:

www.silviagattin.com's avatarsilvia gattin's behind the scenes blog

My last inspiring journey earlier this year brought me to fantastic Mexico (see previous posts), where I came across the country’s most important piece in every woman’s wardrobe and an unique and essential piece for their look: THE REBOZO. It is an attractive, various and elegant cloth and can be carried to protect oneself from the sun, the cold, for mourning and carrying goods and even childern.

As this beautiful piece of history and indigenous roots stands for high quality Mexican handcrafting and ancient waving techniques www.silviagattin.com decided it to be the next focus of her new collection, the REBOZO BAGS.

See here the age-old traditional process of making a rebozo:

STEP 1: Devanando el Hílo – the thread is placed on a reel in order to start the threading process

STEP 2: Urdido de Tela: This step defines the length and width of the fabric

STEP 3: El pepenado: The threads are…

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Frida and her rebozos

I have two rebozos from  Santa Maria del Rio (San Luis Potosi), known for its rebozo school.  Even though it was more than 30 years ago, I still remember the day I bought them.  The green one is still brightly colored (maybe because I wear it less)  but the red one is now a dusty pink.  The color dramatically changed after wearing it in Athens and I’ve wondered if it was because of the smog as it’s made of silk–nothing synthetic about it.

A rebozo is a long straight piece of cloth with looks like a cross between a scarf and a shawl.  It can be worn in various ways–as a wrap to protect from the cold or as a scrarf to protect from the sun.  The rebozo can be an aid in labor, a baby carrier, a knapsack, a cool-weather  wrap or elegant shawl. The rebozo is limitless.

There are many different ways to wear a rebozo.  Some examples can be seen HERE.

Frida Kahlo wore rebozos on a daily basis.

frida 1937

Frida wearing rebozo on her head, 1937 foto via

frida_kahlo

Frida Kahlo, agave et rebozo »

Above Frida is shown holding her rebozo up in the air as she stands next to a giant agave. Agave Americana is also know as Aloe Vera.  It is a plant that I have written about before HERE. Its gel has many many uses but its leaves are useful, too. Fiber can be extracted from them.  These fibers are used to make mats and ropes.

Agave is also used to make tequila.

Frida_Kahlo_New_Mexico_1951

Frida Kahlo, 1951, and red rebozo.  Foto by Gisèle Freund

frida rebozo

Frida in the New York Hospital by Nickolas Muray, 1946. © Frida Kahlo Museum

nickolas-muray-frida-kahlo-c19401

another Frida portrait by Nickolas Muray via

frida fucsia rebozo

via  Historia de la Moda blogRebozo magenta de artisela color fucsia y tocado con flores naturales, Colección Museo Frida Kahlo

“Who gave them the absolute ‘truth’?  There is nothing absolute.  Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.” Frida Kahlo

frida and diegoKahlo

more related links:  Reflecting on Frida Kahlo’s Birthday and The Importance of Recognizing Ourselves for (in) Each Other + A COLLECTION OF fRIDA RELATED ARTICLES + Category: Frida Kahlo + Why Frida Kahlo’s fashion was just as political as her art

an exhibition I would like to see but will not be able to: From June 2014, the Fashion and Textile Museum highlights the art of the rebozo, a distinctly Mexican garment which Frida Kahlo was rarely seen without. A feature of Mexican dress since the 17th century, the classic woven shawl is enjoying a revival with the renewed interest in craft skills. Mexican Textiles: Frida Kahlo & the Art of the Rebozo looks at the work of 30 leading artists and contemporary fashion designers like Carla Fernandez, a Mexico City-based fashion designer who takes inspiration from traditional artisanship. These current designs are displayed alongside historic rebozos loaned from the Franz Mayer Museum, Mexico City.

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