Clareira

Clareira is a rug born from a summer residency at the Museum of Popular Art in Lisbon. It was here that I met Ana and Nani, and our six hands worked while we talked about, and sometimes sang, our lives and desires. I discovered the Stipa Gigantea, a perennial plant originating from the west of the Mediterranean basin. A giant grey-green grass, with imposing, fine, tough tufts of foliage swaying in the wind among the rocks, it is both light and persistent, and harvested from the first of June until the end of July in the often arid, dry landscapes of sunlit areas. This rug creates a private space, inviting the sitter to share a moment of relaxation and tranquillity. Like a little clearing, it opens a luminous, sensory space that can be activated alone or accompanied.

Clareira is made according to a basket weaving technique named Ponto, which women used to obtain a dense, solid frame. These were primarily used as pillows with which they could enjoy the sun while protecting themselves from the burning rocks. We wove three circles, one for each of us, which we then assembled to create a single piece. The fibers emerge in their raw form around a shape that shields and embraces the body. They draw new, soft, fragile borders while creating a personal proximity with the sitter.

Partners :

Museu del Arte popular, Michelangelo Foundation, Passao Futuro, Ministre de la culture portugaise