Galeria Mercado Brazil

Afro-latino culture has always fascinated me, I think it partially began when I met my best friend Ana when I was a junior in high school. She was an exchange student from Niteroi, Rio De Janeiro & we became the best of friends and still are to this day(she’s the godmother of my children). Her father is considered black & her mother white, so she has experienced the racial complexities of both sides equally living in Brazil. Although Afro-Brazilians make up the majority of the population in Brazil, because of the negative stigma that is associated with being pardo(black or brown) there is a devastating lack of inequality socially & visibly within the media throughout the country. Galeria Mercado is a fairly new line based in Brazil, focusing on the urban & contemporary experiences of the culture. For the 2010 Juu collection, founders Daniela Goulart & Josana Matedi enlisted local artist Adriano Paulino to create a series of stencil art depicting contemporary music & photography of the African culture. The t-shirt is the centerpiece in these collections because of its simplicity, versatility, and numerous possibilities when it comes to patterns and shapes. Please visit their site to view the entire collection & to find out how you can purchase these beautiful pieces!