Casa Daros

Hi!

This visit was not on the list of the day, it kind of happened, but it could not have been different. I had been around Casa Daros and loved that beautiful white building, full of tall palm trees in the front. It was love at first sight! Totally crazy! So, as I was going to Instituto Cravo Albin, I saw that building again and I decided: if I have time, I will go there…and then I went! And the best thing was that this day, the main exhibition was free of charge (the others are always free of charge)! As good as it gets!

When I arrived there, I climbed the front steps of the building and I was enchanted once again. As soon as I entered, I left my bags in the lockers at the entrance and they gave me a small bag to put the important things. The bag was produced by the - NGO ‘Tem Quem Queira’ - and I love it! I thought it was a really great idea to insert the project at the museum in a good way, calling attention to such a cool project!

When I got to Casa Daros I was a little hungry, so I decided to start the visit by the café called Mira! - I wanted a dessert before starting the work. After looking at the menu, I ordered a brownie with everything on it: chocolate syrup and ice cream! I do not know if it was my tiny hunger fault, but it was fine, yet not wonderful - perhaps because it comes in an ice cream’s cup, and it did not look very appetizing, everything smashed there, saaad…

Upon leaving the cafe I chose to return to the entrance to start the tour, but before that I went in the bathroom and I loved to see a continuation of exhibition Artoons there - do you understand that feeling when something surprises you in the weirdest place? I could not help to smile inside the bathroom. Next to the bathroom, there is an exhibition called Cortocircuitos: videos (which I found very interesting), drawings and installations in the hallway going to the restaurant; it finishes in the end of this month.

From there, I went to the entrance of the exhibitions, where a nice gentleman showed me the entrance to the exhibition Le Parc Lumière. He also explained to a mother with her two daughters in front of me about the special events of Casa Daros for childrens on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at 3pm and at 5pm - I intend to keep an eye on it.

I started the visit by the free exhibitions that are right in the hallway and I think I chose wisely. It was very interesting as I could learn the history of Casa Daros through Educandaros design, which presents the history of that space from 1738 to our days. 

Then, going on at the hallway I got to the exhibition ‘Matriz de Voz’, which is quite fun and interactive... very cool! The work allows you to add your voice to other 959 previous voices by pushing a button and recording your speech.

Returning to the beginning of the hallway, I went to the exhibition ‘Le Parc Lumière’. As soon as I entered, I saw a tremendous darkness that the artist managed to make amazing images by playing with the light. I loved to have gone there to visit this exhibition and I am now looking forward to the next exhibition, which will start on March 29th. According to the schedule displayed at the box office at Casa Daros, it will be “Paintant Stories”: it will bring a panel of 120 meters that will go around Casa Daros, making a sort of panorama of contemporary existence. It will probably make an amazing tour!

Leaving ‘Le Parc Lumière’, one must go down the stairs and straight into another exhibition: “Julio Le Parc, demystify art/1968”, which is an excellent entrance into the central courtyard where the exposure Artoons, by Pablo Helguera, gathers critical but funny cartoons about the current art system. It is worthwhile to know that this exhibition will stay until the end of March at Casa Daros - it is a comedy!

Oh, and don’t forget to take a walk at Casa Daros Shop, it is definitely worth a visit: the staff is super friendly, plus it has a little of everything - I saw bottles, bags, postcards of the exhibition Artoons and also books on arts and even children fantasies! Anyway, what caught my attention was the childish side of the store, it is a very rich space for imagination and it enables children to start understanding and appreciating art - I saw some great books for children that only use their hands to draw, other books for children a little bigger that already uses pencil and so on. A good gift if you have any children around!

Before I left, I decided to visit the reading space, with books related to the exhibitions - like with examples of the exposure Artoons. It is a beautiful, quiet and cold space for those who need a break. But if the space isn’t enough, you still can take the elevator and get lost at the library, not because it is big – it isn’t -, but I think it is like a mother’s heart which always has space for one more. Once I arrived, the attendant girls asked if I wanted anything; I said no, that I was just visiting. The library was empty, with only two guys reading, one in the central space and the other in the space with separated small rooms. So if you need a quiet space to study in Botafogo, go directly to the library at Casa Daros! I liked it so much that at the exit she asked me if I wanted to sign up and I agreed!

Oh ... and on the side of the building, at Avenida Lauro Sodré, the way for people who comes from the malls, be sure to observe the side wall of the building. Even in these walls, there is an exhibition called “Vitrine Lugar das Dúvidas”, with five display windows that shows versions of articles or content linked to the space programming, almost like an announcement of what you'll find inside.

The Casa Daros also offers a brochure near the ticket office with the program and other flyers with the exhibits they are presenting. I advise that you take one as soon as you arrive, at least the brochure with the schedule - it will help you identify each of the spaces of Casa Daros and, moreover, where elevators for people with special needs are. There, you can also find information about specific programs and their schedules, like: the Programme for Families, with workshops and storytelling inspired by the exhibitions, geared for adults and children as young as three years, with duration of one hour, free on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at 3pm and 5pm; and Participatory Meetings, public meetings to spontaneous and previously scheduled groups (schools , social organizations and others) played in the exhibitions for free (to groups) every Wednesday and Friday, at 10h30am and 2pm with 1 hour and a half of duration, requiring registration by e-mail, and for spontaneous public on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 4pm to 5h30pm with passwords distributed 1 hour before the reception. There are also other meetings that you can see in the program itself.

I can say that I have already turned super fan of this space and I will come back whenever I can. To be fully honest, I already did with some friends on the last day of the exhibition Le Parc Lumière, so they could know this space so yummy.

Kiss kiss and great tour,
Tati.

Registration Form:
Site: Casa Daros
Visit’s Date: 05/02/2014
Adress: Rua General Severiano, 159, Botafogo.
Telephone: (21) 2138-0850
Directions: Using the subway, just get off at Botafogo station, or any bus that passes by Avenida Lauro Sodré (between Casa Daros and the malls Rio Sul and Casa & Gourmet) – there are many options, click here to find out more: english or spanish
Working Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, from 11am to 7pm; Sundays and holidays from 11am to 6pm; closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The shop has the same working hours as the café. However, the restaurant works from Wednesday to Friday from 12pm to 10pm; Saturdays from 12pm to 7pm; and Sundays and holidays from 12pm to 6pm.
Guided Tour: don’t have.
Entry Price: R$ 12,00 for the main exhibition, the other exhibits are free. Half-price for students and seniors and free for children, public school teachers, school groups and social organizations, and members of Icom - you can know better on their website or at the front desk.
Toilets/drink water fountains: toilets and drink water fountains are available.
Cafe/Restaurant/Convenience Store: there is café, restaurant and shop – each very good! The café and the restaurant are called Mira! Don’t forget to visit the shop! 
Accessibility: total! With lifts to all floors, when you get there, just go to the right and get the lift to move up to the main floor of the exhibitions.
Audio guide: none, but the expositions have explanations in Portuguese, English and Spanish.
Lockers and space for stroller: yes, at the entrance at the space. 
Recommended duration of stay: hum…I stayed around 3 hours there, so I recommend about 2 hours.
Parking: there isn’t one, you can parking at the malls around like Rio Sul and Casa & Gourmet.
Camera: You can take pictures without flash.
Air Conditioning: yep, and works well.