Brazilian visual artist and activist Maxwell Alexandre turns Rio's Museum of Art (MAR) into a beauty salon by offering free hair bleaching as part of the "Global Discoloration" experimentation project, which aims to fight discrimination against a popular haircut in Rio's favelas. Five hairdressing salons and swimming pools are set up to welcome those who volunteer to get their hair bleached. "I prefer to think of bleaching as an affirmation of freedom in the face of any stigma that might imprison the black body," says Maxwell Alexandre as dozens of Brazilians participate in the project, a few days before the carnival celebrations. The event is part of the exhibition "Funk: A cry of audacity and freedom", which showcases the culture of Rio's poor "favela" neighbourhoods. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES