Gilberto Gil, living legend of Brazilian music, is officially immortal: the 79-year-old singer was inducted into the Brazilian Academy of Letters on Friday evening (ABL), and assured that he “keeps hope” despite the period “politically dark” crossed by his country.
“Rarely have writers and artists faced so much hostility”said the icon of tropicalism, who put on his ceremonial khaki green dress decorated with gilding for the first time for his enthronement, in Rio de Janeiro.
He is the second black man in the current composition of the ABL, which has 40 members and was founded in 1897 on the model of the French Academy.
“The Brazilian Academy of Letters has the responsibility of strengthening the intellectual image of the country in the face of obscurantism, demagoguery and attacks on democracy”, added the singer, in a speech full of criticism of the government of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who was however not mentioned by name.
“Despite the politically dark times we are going through, I still have hope in the midst of darkness”insisted this former Minister of Culture of the former left-wing president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, big rival of Mr. Bolsonaro for the presidential election in October.
On Wednesday, the Brazilian president caused an outcry by vetoing a bill to release funds to help the cultural sector hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
In his government, the Ministry of Culture is relegated to the rank of simple secretariat, under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourism.
The Bolsonaro government has also been repeatedly accused of censorship, with some artists reporting difficulties in obtaining grants, particularly for projects related to LGBT themes.
Best-selling author like Aquele Abraco Where Toda menina BaianaGilberto Gil, born in Salvador de Bahia (north-east), has almost 60 records to his credit and has won two Grammy Awards.
Alongside Caetano Veloso, this singer and composer was one of the leading figures of tropicalism, a libertarian movement that revolutionized Brazilian music in the 1960s.
Minister of Culture Lula from 2003 to 2008, he was also named UNESCO Artist for Peace in 1999. The musician told Franceinfo Culture during his tour in Europe last fall “the fear, sadness, anguish” then his “hope” for Brazil after the pandemic months.