The 12 winning artists of the Create & Inspire 2014 competition travelled to Brazil on the two-week creative journey of a lifetime in September 2014 under the mentorship of Tainá Azeredo, Director of Casa Tomada, the São Paulo-based artist residency space.

The initiative was supported by Art Jameel and Qatar Museums, and was part of Qatar Brazil 2014 Year of Culture.

In Brazil the team explored the country’s vibrant landscape and creative scene by collaborating with local arts and social organisations in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Ouro Preto, Inhotim, Belo Horizonte, Serra do Cipó, Cachoeira and Salvador.

The journey began in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro where the young artists worked with Gui Mohallem, a Brazilian artist of Lebanese origin, to learn about the basic principles of photography without a camera and with Brazilian art collective, Ambientes Infláveis, exploring the use of inflatable structures in an urban environment.

After Rio de Janeiro, the team travelled to Ouro Preto, a former colonial mining town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its outstanding baroque architecture. They then spent two days exploring Inhotim, a contemporary art wonderland set amid 5,000 acres of botanical gardens.

The team travelled on to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil’s first colonial capital. There they visited the Candeal community where they took part in a percussion workshop at the Pracatum Music School, explored Salvador’s historic centre, Pelourinho, trekked in Serra do Cipó National Park and went to the riverside town of Cachoeria to learn the basics of Capoeira at Ginga Mundo.

For the final part of the journey, the team returned to São Paulo where they reviewed their two weeks in Brazil and how their creative process had changed. Over the course of two days, the whole team discussed what they had learnt and each participant was asked to present a creative project they had been working on during their time in Brazil.

All films from the Journey to Brazil are available to view by clicking here and a selection of photographs is available by clicking here.

Between 6-8 November, the Create & Inspire winners presented an exhibition of artwork created during their time in Brazil, photos of which can be seen by clicking here.

JOURNEYS

PAST JOURNEYS