PO DI TERRA - STORIES OF MAMA DI NHANTONIA

In Collections: Creativity in the Time of COVID-19

Copyright Status: In Copyright

Date: 2019/2022

Artists: Rodrigues, Vlademir

Subjects: COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- , in art

Material Type: Photographs

Language: No linguistic content

Extent: 7 photographs

Exhibit Label: When COVID-19 started, I had the option to travel back to my comfort zone in Portugal or stay home and handle one of the biggest crises of our existence with my family. I decided to stay home to better understand and portray my home during these challenging times. That decision completely changed my perspective. It taught me to better understand my role as a photographer in my community and to use my artistic voice to express the poetry of each place, each street, each person, in a way to better tell their story and inspire others. Those processes inspired me to start collecting memories of my grandmother while the entire family was dealing with the lockdown. My art always follows the principles of the project #positivewestafrica, an ongoing artistic movement that I founded that uses visual art and storytelling to change the narrative about Africa by showcasing the positive side of the continent, its people, lifestyle, and culture.This series of photos explores Cape-Verdeans' history through expressions and household collections. What was once part of the daily life of Cape Verde is now part of the nostalgia of "MAMA DI NHANTONIA" (A 98 years old Cape-Verdean woman) in her memories during the quarantine of COVID-19. Mama di Nhantonia does not recall a day that she doesn't wrap her hair with the fabrics. Kankan is a traditional tobacco leaf grounded in powder - an everyday delicacy of Cape-Verdean elders. A whip made of cow tail - one of the most severe forms of punishment, introduced to kids who misbehave. The fig sign (used as a way to repel evil spirits). Grandma's coffee - to many Cape-Verdeans, the introduction to coffee comes from their grandparents, who were often their keepers when their parents went to work. Known for its severe dry seasons, Cape Verde's main dishes are corn-based. This makes the corn smasher ("Pilon") one of the most essential tools to have in houses. --Label design by exhibit curator Nancy DeJoy. Labels written by Ben Lash and his team in consultation with artist statements.

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m54t6j442

Page Info

1 of 7: PO DI TERRA - STORIES OF MAMA DI NHANTONIA. Part 01

Pictured in a dark room is an elderly Cape Verdean woman who has dark skin and short, gray curly hair tied in a white headwrap. She is wearing a long, green and brown beaded necklace and a brown shirt. She is harshly lit from the right side with the rest of her face in shadow.

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Extent: 1 photograph

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m59z93d0d

2 of 7: PO DI TERRA - STORIES OF MAMA DI NHANTONIA. Part 02

Pictured in a dark room is the back of a head wrapped with a fabric headwrap. The fabric is a blue color and knotted at the bottom of the head to keep it in place, the ends of the piece sticking upwards and downwards. The left side of the picture is dimly lit, putting the remainder of the scene in shadow.

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Extent: 1 photograph

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5v69cd22

3 of 7: PO DI TERRA - STORIES OF MAMA DI NHANTONIA. Part 03

Pictured against a dark background is a long, silver, metal cylinder with ridges on the bottom and top. At the very top of the object are small holes, and a rusted, round piece of metal with small spikes. The object is lit from the right side, putting the left side in shadow.

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Extent: 1 photograph

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5gm84q0k

4 of 7: PO DI TERRA - STORIES OF MAMA DI NHANTONIA. Part 04

A whip made from a cow's tail, pictured horizontally against a dark background. The whip is long, a yellow-brown color, and has ridges that segment it into smaller rounded shapes. The majority of the whip is in light while the top part is in shadow.

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Extent: 1 photograph

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5q52jd98

5 of 7: PO DI TERRA - STORIES OF MAMA DI NHANTONIA. Part 05

A dark-skinned hand pictured against a dark background. The hand is positioned in a horizontal fist, with the thumb tucked between the pointer finger and middle finger; a gesture used to ward off evil spirits. The majority of the hand is in shadow.

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Extent: 1 photograph

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5nz83r13

6 of 7: PO DI TERRA - STORIES OF MAMA DI NHANTONIA. Part 06

A coffee mug pictured on a dark background from a birds eye view. The mug has a metallic silver rim and handle with small indents throughout. The mug is filled with a brown liquid and is lit from the top, illuminating the silver and the liquid inside.

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Extent: 1 photograph

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5pv6f800

7 of 7: PO DI TERRA - STORIES OF MAMA DI NHANTONIA. Part 07

A tall, dark wooden mortar pictured against a dark background. The body of the bowl is large and tapers into the foot of the bowl. The wood is textured and worn revealing the tan underside of the material. There are two dark, long horizontal lines that span from the top to the bottom of the mortar, and three vertical lines that intersect them in the middle and bottom.

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Extent: 1 photograph

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5cn7210t