The houses of the historic center of João Pessoa

time, memory and visual anthropology

Abstract

This photo-ethnographic essay analyzes the Mansions of the historic center of João Pessoa, capital of the state of Paraíba. It considers the practice of coloring the old houses and the production of photographic images as a way to provide insights for discussing time and memory in the city's historic center. The main justification for conducting this study arose from the positive reception of the colored mansions as a form of revitalization—not only of the buildings themselves but also of the surrounding urban spaces, as represented by the Villa Sanhauá. Once revitalized by the public administration and returned to the city’s population, these spaces became objects of attention: people visited, photographed, and shared images in newscasts and on social media, which in turn awakened feelings of belonging and identity. Likewise, the area became more socially frequented, and the mansions began to be used for cultural and commercial purposes, fostering greater sociability in the historic center.

The methodological approach involved bibliographic review, participant observation, and the production of photographic images accompanied by descriptions, in line with the practice of photo-ethnography (Achutti, 1997). Grounded in Visual Anthropology, this study identifies configurations in the scientific exercise of a way of seeing (Berger, 1972). It considers the “historical process between photography and anthropology in ethnographic practice and anthropological investigation” (Caiuby Novais, 2012: 12), as well as the notion of time and memory (Barbosa, 2016) “in the exercise of anthropological and sociological imagination” (Martins, 2008: 11), recognizing that “when photography is used in anthropology, images can be produced to see, observe, record, describe, provoke thought, investigate, and research” the social and cultural reality (Samain, 2005: 118).

Regarding anthropological work with photographic images, Caiuby Novais (2012: 12) notes that photography has accompanied anthropologists in their field research since it was invented in the mid-nineteenth century. “Boas was already working with photography between 1883/1886 and 1902, when he conducted research in British Columbia and Vancouver Island in Canada, along the northern Pacific coast.” Samain (1995: 37) highlights Malinowski’s use of photography “resulting from participant observation and ethnographic descriptions,” pointing to a broader anthropological gaze.

Another reference is the work Balinese Character: A Photographic Analysis by Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson (1942), considered a pioneering study that connects verbal and visual elements in field research and advocates for what was then called Visual Anthropology. Their aim was to show how photographs can demonstrate how various Balinese habits shape their character. Thus, considering the history of photography within anthropological practice led to the development of the discipline of Visual Anthropology and its theoretical and methodological approaches, creating investigative possibilities into sociocultural expressions through photography, ethnography, and participant observation.

With regard to this study on the mansions of João Pessoa’s historic center, photographing and rethinking them within the anthropological field does not differ from established anthropological practice. It opens up multiple investigative paths, allowing us to question what has been photographed and to understand the practice of coloring the mansions as a form of revitalization—one that fosters the construction of new forms of sociability in the locality and acts as a device for time and memory in society (Moreira Leite, 1997).

The choice of this location was mainly due to it being a historic, riverfront cultural center that gave rise to the metropolitan city of the capital. The images were captured in the afternoon of January 30, 2020, using the camera of an LG K10 mobile phone, while walking through the avenues most frequented by commerce, public transport, and tourists. Special attention was given to observing the spaces, the natural lighting, focus, and camera position to register the architectural potential and the quality of the colors (Berger, 1972).

The selection of each image was done using Microsoft Word. Further adjustments to contrast and brightness were made using Adobe Photoshop. This was followed by a qualitative analysis of the visual records, identifying the images that best conveyed their “visual representativeness,” enabling the recognition and evaluation of the photographed scene and providing tools to trigger reflections on time, space, and memory.

In conclusion, photographing the cultural historic center leads us to understand that the practice of coloring the old mansions is also tied to economic activity, bringing colors to the forefront of their revitalization process. This enhances the value of these spaces and their architecture by creating new aesthetics, making them more socially and culturally significant, and reintegrating them into everyday life, infused with layers of memory over time, thus keeping the past alive within the city. Ultimately, this study expands analysis and reflection on anthropological work and contributes to the understanding of the dynamics that shape the historic centers of cities.