Lighthouse

Work developed during the Farol Artistic Residency, organized by the Diário Contemporâneo Photography Award, at Farol’s Beach, Mosqueiro Island, Pará, during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The work involved building a Lighthouse from elements found in Casa Celina, the home of the late poet Maria Lúcia Medeiros, which housed the Residency.

A scaffolding from a recently completed construction project and a ladder leaning against the back of the yard were added to the poet's lamp, which was housed in the universe of her library. With the help of Marcílio Caldas, also a resident artist, we built the Lighthouse structure, which became part of the backyard landscape and permeated the experiences there. I negotiated with the Farol Hotel, the island's historic heritage site, which is opposite the house, for them to transport our Lighthouse from the backyard to Farol’s Beach. Although the monumental rains of the Amazon winter almost prevented the attempt, at dusk and with the support of a few people, the Lighthouse arrived at the beach. We set up the structure on the shores of Amor Island and went up, my son and I. A storm hit. We returned to the Lighthouse, plunged into darkness, and lit the lamp.

We blinked our lighthouse to show that we were alive.

How can we build structures that make it possible to exist beyond survival? How can we talk about the profound experience of atypical solo motherhood during a process of naturalizing oppression against women? Lifting oneself up and lifting the progeny up as a sculptural-political act. In addition to an in-situ practice, which draws on local elements to establish new relationships, the Lighthouse is a micro-political narrative based on listening, negotiations, networks, impermanence, materialization of reveries, creation of spaces of affection, strength, and affirmation of life.