Like all ecosystems, the Comporta region is made up of natural, biological and cultural strata: in this specific case, the stories of humans are linked to the beaches, dunes, rice paddies, lagoons and the Atlantic Ocean itself, in an interaction that shapes and changes the landscape with each passing day.
With "The Day Opens My Eyes" Terrafoundation presents part of the research work of photographer Rafael de Oliveira , done during his artistic residence in the Composta area, in an exhibition under the curation and art direction of José Cabaço.
24 photographs between A1 and A2 format, and 345 photographs in postcard format, were displayed in a disused café in Carvalhal, during Terrafoundation Warm Up. In this old space, with a temporary new skin, the images transmit the photographer’s gaze over the ecosystem of the Comporta region, and then the photographer’s gaze itself became the subject of a creative intervention by artistic director José Cabaço.
The title of the exhibition refers to the book by José Tolentino Mendonça, entitled "The Night Opens My Eyes" – but instead of being inspired by the night, Rafael worked only during the day, exploring the impact of the gradations of light caused by the intense sun of the Comporta area.
The 24 composite works and and 345 photographs are represented by the Lisbon Gallery, in a limited edition of 3+1. All proceeds go towards the artist and to Terra Creative, Terrafoundation’s artistic residency programme.
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