The Mobilities of the Favela and the Social Life of Souvenirs

This article examines the biography of the touristic favela in reference to its material culture. Souvenirs produced and sold in two Rio de Janeiro favelas, Rocinha and Santa Marta, are the focus of observation, aiming to understand spirals of meaning created in the confluence between imagination and materiality, art and topography. We begin with the colors that are born on canvas painted for the consumption of tourists and are reproduced on the walls of the favelas, understanding them as the spawn of poltics based on new visibility regimes and poverty control. Final remarks reflect on the death of (anti)souvenirs, or what appears to be the lack of further possibilities for the representation of favelas as a brand which is capable of adding value to different products on the global market.