'Divine Ceilings of Rio de Janeiro'

presenting photographs of 50 churches in the city of Rio de Janeiro

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“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.”
                                                                         Matthew 28:20. New American Standard Bible 1977

Project proposal
Introduction
When you speak of religion, you speak of the relationship between us as humans and a divine entity or divine entities. The place in Christianism where people gather to dedicate themselves to this relationship are places such as churches, cathedrals, chapels and parishes. 
Constructions, therefore, where a community is to share, celebrate and seek instructions for an ethical life as well as contemplate and preparation towards an afterlife. In addition to this substantive and spiritual function, the House of God also becomes a reference for religious communities to display their dedication and vision.

Depending on conviction, persuasion and economic strength, there is a plurality and diversity of 'divine homes'. 
There are those that present an abundance of decorations, where others promote a more serene environment.

These choices and differences are apparent in the facades and interiors of the various churches. 
In this case, however, a very specific part of the interior was chosen: a perspective that is unequivocal 'equal' in all senses, that is, looking up at the sky, in this case, the ceilings of churches.

The project
This project represents a collection of hundreds of photographs depicting religious diversity through images of the ceilings of 50 churches in Rio de Janeiro. From this rich material were selected 50+ photos that show the wide variety of religious buildings.

We do not want to 'beautify' or show only the most captivating ceilings. The objective is to show - like a time capsule - the current status of the Brazilian patrimonial in the city of Rio de Janeiro. It is not a criticism, nor an elevation of the registered locations. It is simply about offering a different perspective and through that perspective hope to reveal a conversation between the different aesthetics and communities they belong to
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Keywords
photography, heritage, religion, architecture, geometry, aesthetics, decoration, art, artesanal, craftsmanship, lost knowledge of masters, maintenance, history, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Our bold goal with this project is twofold. 
We want to 
1. create a physical and digital exposition to display the works to the public. 
2. seek collaboration with experts various disciplines that will result in a comprehensive  publication.

To that end we are currently looking for collaboration and sponsorship. 
First objective

Create a physical and digitally available exposition to display the works publicly

With pride in the Brazilian heritage, we want to show the cultural wealth and religious devotion of the Brazilian people through a series of photographs of the ceilings of churches.
                 
Preferably where the general public has access to knowledge ..

exhibition for the purposes of: aesthetics, education (general public and professionals in the area of architecture / heritage, etc.), tourism, cultural expression
teach                  creative process, workshop, it’s not about devotion, it’s not about​​​​​​​

Cathedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião

Second objective
In collaboration with experts of various disciplines prepare a comprehensive publication

In order to preserve the material and make it more broadly and sustainably available, 
With pride in the Brazilian heritage we want to show the cultural wealth and religious devotion of the Brazilian people

presentation in the form of a book publication for the purpose of: educating, archiving, contributing to the research of cultural heritage
To make the project a success, we are looking to collaborate with experts in the field of heritage / theology / architecture as well as a curator, editor and publisher​​​​​​
To carry out the exhibition we are looking for curatorship
structure
professionals in the area of specific religious heritage dealing with architecture

To publish the book we are looking for a publisher
procedural conduct and technical information
professionals in the area of specific religious heritage dealing with architecture
Technical sheet
Procedural conduct and technical information.

2014-2019
Maarten started this project and devoted his own time and resources to complete this series and visit (sometimes several instances) the locations to photograph the ceilings over a period of about two years.
The images were taken only during times when there were no ceremonies or activities in the churches so as not to disturb visitors and believers.    
             
Permission was not requested at the sites, but when restrictions were indicated, they were followed.
Due to a technological failure, part of the project with original shots (2014-2016) was lost and had to be repeated (2018-2019).
Equipment
Cameras used:
Canon 5D II
Canon 5D III
Sony α7r

Principal Lenses:
Canon 17-40mm f/4 L;
Canon 16-35mm f/4 IS L;
Samyang 14mm f/2.8
Personal motivation
​​​​​​​
A very practical motivation that brought Maarten to this idea is because he suffers from a disease known as 'youth reuma'. Which means among other limitations that since his early twenties it made it harder and harder to look straight up for him and impossible to maintain that position. 
As they say, whenever things are not a problem or limitation, you do not really pay attention to it, but the moment you are limited you strongly feel you are missing out. In this case, Maarten wanted to look up, as you do in churches, but he could not. There are several options to deal with this, but as humans we are excellent at creating tools to overcome our limitations. In this case, as a photographer, the tool was already in his hands. What started as a way to overcome limitations, became a series that along the way became a crafted body of work.
gallery with works
Divine Ceilings of Rio de Janeiro
is a series of 100 images of the ceilings of more than 50 churches, cathedrals and parishes in the city
The collection


Click on images to enlarge
* illustrative images only *


List of churches in the collection:
1. Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro
2. Abadia de Nossa Senhora do Monserrato do Rio de Janeiro
(Mosteiro de São Bento)
3. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Candelária
4. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo
5. Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo (Antiga Sé)
6. Igreja São José
7. Igreja Santa Luzia
8. Paróquia São João Batista
9. Igreja de Santo Inácio
10. Igreja Santo Antônio Pobres
(Convento de Santo Antônio)
10. Igreja da Ordem Terceira de São Francisco da Penitência
(Convento de Santo Antônio)
11. Igreja de São Francisco de Paula
12. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito
13. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição e Boa Morte
14. Igreja Santa Cruz dos Militares
15. Igreja Nossa Senhora da Lapa dos Mercadores
16. Matriz de Santa Rita
17. Igreja Irmandade Santo Elesbão e Santa Ephigênia
18. Igreja do Santíssimo Sacramento da Antiga Sé
19. Igreja de Santo Antônio dos Pobres
20. Catedral Presbiteriana
21. Paróquia Santa Margarida Maria
22. Igreja São Pedro
23. Paróquia São Judas Tadeu
24. Catedral Metodista do Rio de Janeiro
25. Igreja Imaculada Conceição
26. Igreja Santa Teresinha do Menino Jesus
27. Igreja Santana
28. Igreja Nossa Senhora da Sallete
29. Convento de Santa Teresa
30. Paróquia Sagrado Coração de Jesus
31. Igreja Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro
32. Paróquia São Paulo Apostolo
33. Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Paz
34. Paróquia São Conrado
35. Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Conceição
36. Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Glória
37. Igreja Zaccaria, Rua do Catete 115, Catete
38. Igreja de São Gonçalo Garcia e São Jorge
39. Igreja Matriz Sagrados Corações/Paróquia dos Sagrados Corações
40. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Penha
41. Igreja Congregação Redentorista Santo Afonso
42. Igreja São Francisco Xavier do Engenho Velho
43. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário
44. Basílica Nossa Senhora de Lourdes
45. Igreja Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Tijuca
46. Paróquia de São Joaquim
47. Paróquia Cristo Redentor
48. Capela Nossa Senhora das Graças
49. Igreja da Santíssima Trindade
50. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Lapa de Desterro
short introduction to the photographer
Maarten Zeehandelaar was born in The Netherlands where he graduated in philosophy before moving to Brazil and dedicating himself to the profession of photo- and videography.

In his travels around the city of Rio -adapting to the new reality found- he got interested in a particular dedication of the Brazilian people in the openly spoken of and displayed spirituality in every facet of daily life.
the strengths and on your personal project photo of the week (7 years, total 365 photos / weeks) blabla Parque Lage exhibition
exhibition in Dutch libraries on independent libraries in Cuba (visited in 2009) Before had exposure
Independant Libraries on Cuba
"Um breve ensaio da feminidade, ou, o masculino", Parque Lage, Rio de Janeiro, 2010.
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Maarten Zeehandelaar
Additional material
Watch a short video about one of the churches highlighted in this project.
Complete list of churches including addresses
1. Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro – Avenida Chile 245, Centro

2. Abadia de Nossa Senhora do Monserrato do Rio de Janeiro (Mosteiro de São Bento) – Rua Dom Gerardo 68, Centro

3. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Candelária - Praça Pio X, Centro

4. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo – Rua Primeiro de Março, Centro

5. Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo (Antiga Sé) – Rua Primeiro de Março, Centro

6. Igreja São José – Rua Primeiro de Março, Centro

7. Igreja Santa Luzia - Rua Santa Luzia, Centro

8. Paróquia São João Batista – Rua Voluntários da Pátria 227, Botafogo

9. Igreja de Santo Inácio – Rua São Clemente 226, Botafogo

10. Igreja Santo Antônio Pobres (Convento de Santo Antônio) – Rua da Carioca, Centro

10. Igreja da Ordem Terceira de São Francisco da Penitência (Convento de Santo Antônio) – Rua do Carioca, Centro

11. Igreja de São Francisco de Paula – Largo de São Francisco de Paula, Centro

12. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito – Rua Uruguaiana 77, Centro

13. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição e Boa Morte – Rua do Rosário, Centro

14. Igreja Santa Cruz dos Militares – Rua Primeiro de Março 36, Centro

15. Igreja Nossa Senhora da Lapa dos Mercadores – Rua do Ouvidor 35, Centro

16. Matriz de Santa Rita – Largo de Santa Rita, Centro
17. Igreja Irmandade Santo Elesbão e Santa Ephigênia – Rua da Alfândega 219, Centro

18. Igreja do Santíssimo Sacramento da Antiga Sé – Avenida Passos (ao lado no 48), Centro

19. Igreja de Santo Antônio dos Pobres – Rua dos Inválidos 42, Centro

20. Catedral Presbiteriana – Rua Silva Jardim 23, Centro

21. Paróquia Santa Margarida Maria – Rua Frei Solano 23, Lagoa

22. Igreja São Pedro – Avenida Paulo de Frontin 566, Rio Comprido

23. Paróquia São Judas Tadeu – Rua Cosme Velho 470, Cosme Velho

24. Catedral Metodista do Rio de Janeiro – Praça José de Alencar 4, Flamengo

25. Igreja Imaculada Conceição – Praia de Botafogo 266, Botafogo
26. Igreja Santa Teresinha do Menino Jesus – Avenida Lauro Sodré (ao lado 446), Botafogo

27. Igreja Santana – Rua de Santana 85, Centro

28. Nossa Senhora da Sallete, Rua de Catumbi 58, Catumbi

29. Convento de Santa Teresa – Ladeira de Santa Teresa 52, Santa Teresa

30. Paróquia Sagrado Coração de Jesus – Rua Benjamin Constant 42, Catete

31. Igreja Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro – Praça Nossa Senhora da Glória, Glória

32. Paróquia São Paulo Apostolo – Rua Barão de Ipanema 85, Copacabana

33. Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Paz – Rua Visconde de Pirajá 339, Ipanema

34. Paróquia São Conrado – Estrada da Gávea 904, São Conrado
35. Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Conceição – Rua Marques de São Vicente 19, Gávea

36. Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Glória – Rua das Laranjeiras, Largo do Machado

37. Igreja Zaccaria – Rua do Catete 115, Catete

38. Igreja de São Gonçalo Garcia e São Jorge – Rua da Alfândega 382, Centro

39. Igreja Matriz Sagrados Corações/Paróquia dos Sagrados Corações – Rua Conde de Bonfim 474, Saens Peña

40. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Penha – Largo da Penha 19, Penha

41. Igreja Congregação Redentorista Santo Afonso – Rua Barão de Mesquita 248, Saens Peña

42. Igreja São Francisco Xavier do Engenho Velho – Rua São Francisco Xavier 74, Saens Peña

43. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário – Rua General Ribeiro da Costa 164, Leme

44. Basílica Nossa Senhora de Lourdes – Avenida 28 de Setembro, 200 - Vila Isabel

45. Igreja Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Tijuca – Rua Conde de Bonfim 987, Tijuca

46. Paróquia de São Joaquim – Rua Joaquim Palhares 227, Estácio

47. Paróquia Cristo Redentor – Rua das Laranjeiras 519, Laranjeiras

48. Capela Nossa Senhora das Graças – Rua São Clemente 446, Botafogo

49. Igreja da Santíssima Trindade – Rua Senador Vergueiro 141, Flamengo

50. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Lapa de Desterro – Rua da Lapa 8, Lapa
PROJECT DIVINE CEILINGS OF RIO DE JANEIRO
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