(Accidental) Humor as Effective Communication -- The Neon Virgin at the Colégio Notre Dame Ipanema

Sometimes humor is intentional. Sometimes it is accidental. I believe that the facade of the Colégio Notre Dame Ipanema, in Rio de Janeiro, falls into the latter category.

Neon is my favorite lighting source. It carries an unusual combination of associations -- age, tawdriness, and festivity. I usually think of it as a marker of some sort of commerce -- liquor stores, dance halls, and other activities presented as unwanted in Frank Capra's film "It's a Wonderful Life".

The high school's Virgin is wonderful, bathed in the light of her neon halo. She stands guard over the children at the main entrance and does so with a wink. The Virgin is both modest and eye-catching. She must do both, living in a community known world-wide for the beauty of its residents.