ROLE: EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND PHOTOGRAPHER
Discomfort. Who relishes in unease? Most of us instinctively seek refuge in our comfort zones when confronted with unsettling situations. When faced with an unfamiliar culture, we lean on predetermined categories for understanding. If we tread on searing asphalt, we instinctively seek cooler ground. Such is the course of our actions.
'AFAGONIA', a collaboration between Tomás Cajueiro and Genivaldo Amorim, challenges us to contemplate this emotion we diligently evade: discomfort. It prods us to reflect on our exposure to the alien, the foreign, the potentially threatening. A sensation we safeguard ourselves from, but ironically impose on nature and the myriad forms of life that populate our urban surroundings. For our personal ease, we gravitate towards private condos and towering buildings, even if they alienate sections of society. For our comfort, we snag the cheapest deal on a shirt, disregarding the semi-enslaved hands that crafted it. We appear to sidestep the murkier ramifications of our choices—the shadowy aftermath of our relentless pursuit of comfort.
'AFAGONIA' juxtaposes two conflicting aspects of Valinhos: its natural allure marked by myriad streams, springs, and mountainous terrains, and the perpetual jeopardy these treasures face due to human impact. It spotlights the paradox of rampant real estate growth, which enhances life quality for some, with the indiscriminate devastation of the city's aquifers and green spaces, invariably affecting all.
Envision a container, its insides swathed in black, projecting images that capture Valinhos' pristine beauty. Contrasting this is an unrelenting cacophony of construction, vehicular traffic, and human chatter, unsettling visitors who step into this space. This artwork was commissioned by the 'Virada Sustentável Institute'.
