Through the Side Window

Abstract

This text is presented in the form of a fictional chronicle from the perspective of someone whose daily commute to work is marked by an encounter with Módulo 6.5 [Module 6.5] (1970-1997), a sculpture by Ascânio MMM, installed in front of the Rio de Janeiro City Hall building. The character in the chronicle is her, someone whose identity is not revealed, as she could be anyone and no one. The chronicle is interspersed with references to literature, such as Charles Baudelaire's poem To a Passing Woman, history and art theory, the phenomenology of perception, and topology. It is worth noting that two visits to Ascânio MMM's studio were fundamental to the writing of this chronicle. On her commute between Niterói and Rio de Janeiro, she has a unique experience of the city when she encounters Ascânio's sculpture through the bus window.