Cities and Gentrification in Contemporary Brazil

Abstract

This article provides an analysis of heritage policies in Brazil, focusing in particular on the emergence of gentrification processes, which have transformed cultural heritage into a cultural commodity, adapting historic cities to the new market logic. The private sector's increasing involvement in heritage policy management has led to a complex alteration in the concept of heritage from a "symbolic asset" to a "cultural commodity". This process entails recognizing forms of interaction based on consumption and presumes forms of heritage conservation based on market demands. The aim here is to discuss the impacts of these processes on the shaping of public sociabilities and ideas in relation to the use of city spaces.

Cidade e turismo: o valor de consumo da (contra)paisagem cultural carioca

“…Tanto podem ser comunidades étnicas, centros históricos ou simplesmente as paisagens culturais em que suas incidências identitárias são recursos para o branding publicitário (JAGUARIBE, 2011), na construção dos lugares turísticos onde a vida cotidiana e as retóricas atribuídas aos bens patrimoniais parecem fundirse, ocorrendo constante reprodução, modificação e apropriação para novos usos. Dessa forma, a orientação pelas práticas de mercado revela-se na "generalização" de casos de enobrecimento, através da espetacularização das paisagens, dos espaços e da cultura (LEITE, 2010(LEITE, , 2015 tanto dos espaços patrimoniais, quanto das localidades mais desfavorecidas, nesse caso, as comunidades favelizadas em morros paisagísticos.…”

“…Entendemos que o objetivo das políticas de patrimonialização é a valorização dos bens culturais materiais e imateriais, dos lugares e das paisagens associadas aos espaços capazes de agregar valor de consumo (HOLBROOK et al, 1999;MALTA, 2017aMALTA, , 2017b) -cultural, visual e simbólico -para a atração de investimentos dos setores privados. Neste sentido, Leite (2015) observa que a crescente participação do setor privado na gestão de áreas e bens patrimoniais tem almejado lucrativas oportunidades de negócios e impulsionado uma complexa alteração conceitual do patrimônio -e de paisagem cultural -, adaptando-o à nova lógica do mercado, ou seja, tratando esse patrimônio não mais como "bem simbólico", mas sim como uma "mercadoria cultural". Na prática, conforme argumenta Leite (2015, p. 176), esse "processo implica no reconhecimento de formas de interação baseadas no consumo e pressupõe [...] selecionar bens que potencialmente possam corresponder às expectativas de retorno financeiro dos altos investimentos privados" 2 .…”

Rio de Janeiro’s Cultural Landscape: New Conceptual Image, Old Social Problems

“…In general, the interventions in the old urban areas retain a patrimonial value, with a strong visual appeal, mainly historical monuments -civil and religious -that are transformed into museums, art galleries, cultural centers, luxury hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafes, cinemas etc. It has as a consequence a high degree of segregation of the uses of the public space that reinforce the socioeconomic asymmetries, since they focus on attracting a well-to-do tourist population and new residents of the middle and upper classes (Zukin, 1995;Leite, 2015;Cardoso, 2013).…”

“…It is important to understand that the purpose of patrimonialization policies is the valorization of material and immaterial cultural assets, places and landscapes associated with spaces capable of adding cultural, visual and symbolic value, and also of being able also to attract private sector investments. In this sense, Leite (2015) identified a trend of growing participation of the private sector in the management of areas and patrimonial assets. Brazilian private investors have longed for lucrative business opportunities and have driven a complex conceptual change of heritage and cultural landscape, adapting it to the new market strategies.…”

Atopic City: Consumption and Death in Urban Life

“…The aesthetic and political intent of urban planning processes introduced to rehabilitate urban spaces is to create an idealized public space: without shadows, ruts, roughness or strangers. A gentrified space must be transparent and literally clear, tidy and luminous (Leite, 2015). Just like the scenario of wide spread consumption practices, it must beclear, well lit, hyperexposed, full of obscene visual stimuli and positivities (Han, 2014a) aimed towards consumption.…”