Paisagens militares: histórias, significados e fotodocumentação da Vila Militar do Rio de Janeiro - RJ

Abstract

This dissertation aims to produce interpretations of the landscapes of Vila Militar, starting from the construction of photo documentation. This space is a neighborhood located in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro, marked by a history of production guided by the Brazilian Army. By absorbing a militaristic logic, the area in question ends up showing deep marks from its main agent, thus reproducing discourses and ideologies that directly refer to the functioning of the Armed Forces. Inserted in the middle of the city's outskirts, its visual pattern differs greatly from the adjacent neighborhoods in this region. The roots of the creation of Vila, at the beginning of the 20th century, and the different contexts in which it has been inserted since then, such as the holding of major sporting events, will be examined. In the task of decoding landscapes, the appreciation of the concept is assumed, according to authors such as Denis Cosgrove and James Duncan, who define it as texts capable of different readings by multiple audiences. We also emphasize the category of military landscapes, defined by Rachel Woodward and which guided our research process. The production of photo documentation, carried out during fieldwork in the neighborhood, in accordance with Gillian Rose's methodology, allowed the images to occupy a central place throughout the investigation and function as triggers for the construction of a narrative based on meanings, questions and reflections about the military scenarios covered and the respective visible or hidden messages that the Army wishes to propagate about itself.