‘Let’s go to the carnival’: The energy of samba captured through the lens

Rio de Janeiro’s legendary carnival in Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD:

“It’s like being in Brazil”, says Ida, swaying gently to the soft music filling the room. It is as if the energy of Brazilian dancers, frozen through Zulfikar Ali’s lens, is in the space. Rio de Janeiro’s legendary carnival is in Islamabad.

The photographer travelled to the “marvellous city” in February to bring back an exquisite collection of images for an exhibition which opened at the Embassy of Brazil on Thursday evening.

The exhibition, “Life is short: let’s go to the carnival!” is a series of photographs which capture the essence of the vivid and exhilarating four-day carnival held in Rio de Janeiro each year. The carnival features dancers and samba music echoing from every corner of the city.

The images are a burst of colour and movement and each subject, be it a voluptuous woman in dazzling costume or a young man behind a veneer of black paint, is captured in expressions that communicate the pure joy of the festival.

“The carnival is a collective escape from everyday life,” commented Alfredo Leoni, the ambassador of Brazil, at the opening reception of the exhibition, adding that Ali’s photographs are not only journalistic but also artistic.

The photographs capture the young and old alike as they celebrate life in extravagant costumes, immersed in the rhythm and energy of samba.

Ali, the man behind the lens, fell short in expressing the overwhelming sense of awe he felt in Rio.

He said the energy and life was indescribable, with over two million people who had taken to the streets, singing and dancing for over twelve hours every day.

“They were tireless,” he said, “it was amazing”.

Ali’s photographs are on display till March 30 at the Brazilian embassy.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2012.