ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how do-it-yourself (DIY) reverberates in educated middle- and upper-class Brazilian society, which has been historically averse to handmade work. In Brazil there is a tradition of devaluing the work, especially the manual work. Popular craftwork is part of Brazilian cultural, familial, and community history, and students and faculty in art and design majors could benefit from the knowing-how-to-be and knowing-how-to-do of artisans. In Brazil, a racial slur to set hard work is “work for black,” a direct reference to slavery. The chapter aims to join the DIY movement with a decolonizing gaze to understand historical issues surrounding the handmade in Brazil, heeding Lina Bo Bardi and Ana Mae Barbosa. Lina Bo Bardi argues that the capacity of invention or reinvention of products accords with the needs of everyday life and is identified according to principles of usefulness and necessity. For her, poverty drives Brazilian craft and is its strength.
