The street is my place: Nimbo // Oxalá

Abstract

The artist Ronald Duarte presented Nimbo // Oxalá (2004) for the first and last time in Rio de Janeiro. The work consists of a circle of 20 fire extinguishers that are triggered by people dressed in white, forming a large cloud that quickly dissipates throughout the city. This article investigates the work’s relationship with public space, highlighting its sound and visual elements, both of which engage with the ephemeral. Drawing on phenomenology, the article draws upon a lecture given by Ronald Duarte and an interview the artist granted to the author, seeking to present his relationship with spirituality and the street in Nimbo // Oxalá.