V8 photographer
Despite amateur initiatives, photography became a profession for Aristides Pedro da Silva only in 1952, when he opened the Foto V8 studio, on Treze de Maio Street. During this same period, he was coach of the youth of Guarani Futebol Clube between 1950 and 1960. It was on the soccer fields that V8 trained his sensitivity, correlating light and shape in capturing the best angles.
Infantil Clube Atlético Valinhense (1961) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
Guarani Futebol Clube Team (Cerca de 1958) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
A city in transformation
His studio initially focused on producing 3x4 photos. However, the V8 stood out for registering a city in transformation that left behind the characteristics of the 19th century to take on the much sought after idea of modernization.
V8 exhaustively registered the collapsing city, as much for the carelessness as for the speeches of a modernity that took with it the houses, the church and a theater; or a city that recreated itself with new buildings, avenues and stadiums.
Rosario Church Demolition (Entre maio e setembro de 1959) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
Demolition of the Church of the Rosary
Inaugurated in 1817, the Church of Our Lady of Rosary underwent several changes over time and was known for its beauty. Its last decoration was developed in the late 1910s by the Austrian artist Thomaz Scheuchl. The temple was demolished in 1956 for the expansion of Avenida Francisco Glicério provided for in Francisco Prestes Maia's Urban Improvement Plan.
Rosario Church Demolition (Entre maio e setembro de 1957) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
Municipal Theater Demolition (6 de outubro de 1965) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
Demolition of the Municipal Theater
With its inauguration in 1930, the Municipal Theater of Campinas was built in an eclectic style. The theater, with capacity for 1400 people, distributed new products from Europe throughout the country. In 1965, based on two technical reports, the then mayor Ruy Hellmeister Novaes decided to demolish the building.
Municipal Theater Demolition (19 de novembro de 1965) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
Tram farewell (Outubro de 1970) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
Farewell to the trams
Electric trams were installed in Campinas in 1912 by the Campinas Company of Traction, Light and Force. The system was losing space to automobiles, being totally deactivated in 1968.
Front of the stadium (1947) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
Demolition and rebuild of the Guarani Futebol Clube Stadium
The Guarani Futebol Clube was founded in 1911, having inaugurated its first stadium in 1923. The Brinco de Ouro da Princesa Stadium was inaugurated in 1953, with a project by the modernist architects Oswaldo Corrêa Gonçalves and Ícaro de Castro Mello.
Demolition of the Guarani Futebol Clube Stadium (1953) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
Toboggan construction (Cerca de 1979) by Aristides Pedro da SilvaCentro de Memória-Unicamp
Aerial view of the city (Entre 1960 e 1962) by Aristides Pedro da Silva]Centro de Memória-Unicamp
With a sensitive and technical eye, Aristides Silva recorded a city that was undoing and remaking itself through cultural, political, social, economic, architectural and urban dynamics. His collection was acquired by the Centro de Memória-Unicamp in 2001, allowing generations of researchers to come into contact with valuable records for local and regional history and for the preservation of a time that is rediscovered every day.
Go back to part 1 and learn more about the life of Aristides Pedro da Silva and his collection!
Director
André Luiz Paulilo
Associate Director
Maria Sílvia Duarte Hadler
Coordination
João Paulo Berto
Curatorial Project and Texts
Ana Cláudia Cermaria
Translation and images selection
Ana Julia Bacce Kuhl
Marileide Rayane de Macedo da Silva
Realization
Centro de Memória-UNICAMP
December 2021
