Tião: memories of Rio through a Providência resident’s photographs

Tião: um fotógrafo da Providência presents Rio through photographs taken by someone who lived alongside his subjects. Sebastião Pires de Oliveira, known as Tião, photographed residents of the port area and Morro da Providência. His images preserve everyday life, celebrations, the cityscape and personal connections.

What do the photographs tell us?

Museu de Arte do Rio brings together mainly previously unpublished images from the 1960s–1980s. Many were commissioned by Providência residents, recording the people and events that mattered to the community itself.

These images offer a different perspective from tourist photography. You can look both at how the city changed and at the moments its residents wanted to remember. The exhibition will interest documentary photography enthusiasts and visitors who want to discover Rio through family and neighbourhood stories.

Venue and closing date

The exhibition runs at MAR from 16 May to 29 November 2026. The museum is on Praça Mauá in central Rio. Audio description is available on the project page; check opening hours and current tickets with the museum before visiting.

A journey to Praça Mauá

When planning with Hola Taxi, include Museu de Arte do Rio — MAR, your visit day, hotel address and passenger count. For the return, say whether you want to go straight to your hotel or continue elsewhere. An arrival at GIG or SDU can be included as a separate enquiry if needed.