Project Morrinho

Within this miniature urban world of Morrinho ("little hill"), participants act out a role-playing game with the numerous people made from Lego that inhabit the model, recreating life in Rio's favelas.

Throughout the years, Morrinho has garnered increasing attention for its aesthetics and the ingenuity of its child creators, growing from a local phenomenon to a popular international exhibit.

Oliveira was impressed with the architecture and style of life in the city's favelas and he decided to playfully reproduce this reality in his own backyard with bricks and paint left over from his father's work in construction.

[1] In 2001, on a visit to the community, film directors Fábio Gavião, Marco Oliveira, and Francisco Franca invited the boys to participate in their work of image captivation.

Curators and critics have recognized the unique character and innovation of the Morrinho model as a legitimate expression of contemporary art, and has drawn considerable international attention from journalists, architects, musicians, scholars, and tourists.

Smaller scale replicas of the Morrinho model have been exhibited throughout Brazil and Europe, including the 2004 Urban World Forum in Barcelona, the 2005 Point Ephémère in Paris and the 2007 Venice Biennale.

Following the slogan "Initiating a Small Revolution", Morrinho Social intends to offer profession qualification workshops to the residents of the Pereirão community.

The idea has been developed over the past two years and aims to odder an education al component that complements the overarching values of Morrinho of social justice and economic mobility.

Morrinho storefronts with vehicles parked on the street and people seen through the windows
Typical street in the Morrinho model with vehicles and people
Two armed people stand outside a building in Morrinho
Two Lego figures armed with guns stand outside a building in the Morrinho model