Artigo - Carnaval, Estamparia e Representatividade: A Ala Exus Contemporâneos no Carnaval da Grande Rio em 2022

Abstract

This article analyzes the visual and conceptual impact of the "Exus Contemporâneos" wing, part of the samba school's storyline “Fala, Majeté: Sete Chaves de Exu”, which led Acadêmicos do Grande Rio to win the 2022 Carnival championship. The research highlights the role of textile prints in carnival costumes as a tool for visual storytelling and cultural re-signification. The work of Antônio Gonzaga and Leonardo Bora is presented as a case study in which design is intertwined with artistic expression, incorporating references from urban art and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s aesthetics. The visual construction of the costume is explored through the lens of cultural hybridity, illustrating how Exu is represented in the arts, fashion, and popular imagination. The analysis of the prints reveals the intentional use of symbols, colors, and textures that interact with the storyline and reinforce its political message, demonstrating how Carnival continuously reinvents itself while remaining a space for resistance, creativity, and identity affirmation.