What better way to celebrate eight years of artistic duo Haas & Hahn than with this cool video narrated by none other than Rich Medina. And at what better time than now, while they’re busy realizing one of their ultimate dreams – painting an entire favela in Rio de Janeiro.
Those who think that painting an entire favela is an over ambitious plan, probably need an introduction to this duo. Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn did their first ‘Favela painting‘ project in 2005 / 2006. While being in Rio de Janeiro to shoot a documentary on hip hop in the favela’s, the idea for a community driven art project emerged. In Vila Cruzeiro, they began their first project ‘Boy with Kite‘, employing and training local youth to paint and be part of the project, uplifting themselves and the neighborhood in the process. They returned to Villa Cruzeiro several times, doing bigger projects, involving more people from the community and gaining a lot of positive attention to a neighborhood that once was completely ignored.
Now, in 2013, after completing a similar community driven project in Philadelphia called Philly Painting, the duo is ready to go back to the favelas of Rio to fulfill their dream. As the project is community driven, the funding is as well and you can back them at the Favela Painting Kickstarter page.
Besides the training and employing of locals, beautifying an entire favela and all good that comes from that, the project will also involve plastering all the houses before they get painted, improving the housing quality and their overall value.
8 YEARS of HAAS & HAHN
Narrated by: Rich Medina
Produced by: Seven Halsema
