Baroque Bizarreness in Brazilian Carnival: Banned Allegories as Dialectical Images

Abstract

Following the idea of "bizarreness" this article unfolds the concepts of "allegory" and "dialectical image" resuming Walter Benjamin’s researches on Baroque theater and modernity. The concepts are applied in the critical evaluation of two parade cars that were forbidden to be used in Brazilian Carnival: Cristo Mendigo [Christ, the Beggar] by Joãosinho Trinta (School of Samba Beija-Flor, 1989) and Carro do Holocausto [Car of the Holocaust] by Paulo Barros (School of Samba Viradouro, 2008). The reflection focuses on the theological and political aspects of the allegorical forms in order to discuss censorship of artistic representation.