Nova Onda

Rio Loco festival chose Portugal and Portuguese Culture as this year’s (2022) focus. It was an enormous honor to be in Toulouse representing my country, especially having the opportunity to think and design my biggest installation so far.

As a Portuguese artist, the festival's theme, "Nova Onda," felt close to me. As soon as I started sketching, the wave was a constant element in my compositions, either as a motif, background, or detail. As the drawing progressed, I noticed that the wave could symbolize several key concepts.

There's an undeniable link between Portuguese identity and the ocean. The big shoreline with the Atlantic is a big part of our history but of our daily lives as well. The peaceful yet violent nature of the sea is an inspiration.

"Saudade" is the nostalgic feeling of longing for something that has passed, but through it, newer generations are reinventing and rediscovering our history and traditions. The back and forth, the dynamism, and the turmoil growing in Portugal are represented in this installation by its movement, the waves' motion, and the ties' rising.

Moving forward with the composition was challenging for me, not only because I'm used to working with multiple and complex elements but also because of its abstraction. In the end, producing an installation that speaks through its complex simplicity was very rewarding