Artivism in the writing of two Afro-Brazilian authors: Lélia Gonzalez and Carolina Maria de Jesus, two parallel lives between amefricanidade and literatura marginal

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine how Artivism originates and develops, what its dynamics are, and, specifically, the extent of the impact of this new artistic movement on the socio-cultural evolution of Brazil. This study therefore examines how Artivism can be observed in the works of two emblematic figures of Afro-Brazilian literature, Lelia Gonzalez and Carolina Maria de Jesus, after conducting a comparative analysis of their works and lives. The methodology adopted is based on an interdisciplinary approach that integrates literary criticism, social history, and postcolonial repercussions. The socio-cultural context in which both authors operated, namely the first half of the twentieth century, is examined highlighting the challenges and struggles they faced. Subsequently, their works are analyzed with emphasis on the themes dear to each of them and through textual and contextual analysis; it is also highlighted how their narratives not only reflect personal experiences, but also serve as instruments of resistance and social critique. Specifically, it highlights how Lélia Gonzalez carefully reflected on the exclusion of Black and Indigenous women in Brazilian society and theorized the concept of Amefricanidade, a decolonial proposal that allows to see the Americas in their full democratic and composite entirety. This perspective centers the contribution of Black and Indigenous peoples in the historical process of the creation of the Americas. Equally significant is the importance of the social contribution of Carolina Maria de Jesus, a favela resident who writes and narrates the social abandonment of the favelas from an insider’s perspective never attempted before, a pioneer of “marginal literature” who, using direct and essential writing, effectively describes the harshest realities of the Brazilian peripheries. In conclusion, the methodological approach adopted allows for identifying and highlighting the points of convergence and the characteristics of the artistic contributions of the two authors studied in relation to Artivism, emphasizing the power they have given to words as a vehicle for social and cultural change.