Porto Madeira 2008

The purpose of the Transatlantic Art Meeting is to transform Cape Verde, precisely the locality of Porto Madeira, integrated in the rural area of Santiago, into a space of interaction for the various artistic transatlantic components. It is particularly important that this project also attracts young Cape Verdeans of the diaspora, by exposing them to the development of the Cape Verdean rural area.

Porto Madeira is already part of a project where it has been developed a whole set of components of rural and ecological tourism, starting from water supply, telephone and multiple infrastructures. This project is to continue, finalize and embellish this first phase of the project. This artistic meeting aims to stimulate new outlets, providing the rural area with new dynamics based upon the opening of contemporary innovation and preservation of the uniqueness of this environment.

Since Porto Madeira is located in a rural area, in the mountains, it possesses specific cultural and ecological characteristics that deserve to be valued and promoted nationally and internationally. This artistic meeting aims to value this traditional component which in fact, is crucial to the Cape Verdean culture, and has been diluted throughout time by a strong emigration towards urban areas in Cape Verde as well as abroad. This artistic meeting is aimed to revive all of the culture of the island of Santiago and Cape Verde, by transforming Porto Madeira into an artistic forefront representing all the islands of Cape Verde and abroad.

All artists will be lodged and meals provided at the homes of the inhabitants in Porto Madeira. All activities will be held in a spirit of conviviality and reciprocity with the local population.

The implementation of this project relies upon the support of scout and volunteer associations who wish to take part and help make this project happen during the month of August 2008.

A calendar of tasks and activities for all artists will be set-up.

I. Restauration of the Houses Representing the Ten Islands

This cultural sampling will take place in Achadinha where there already are 10 abandoned houses well integrated in the rural area, and appropriate to representing the artistic components of each island. Each house will serve as basis for transformation and remodeling within an artistic piece of work representing each island. In fact, we promote incorporating and restoring the existing architectural space, by preserving the architectural legacy and the local landscape, as well as improving the standards of living of the population in Porto Madeira. Therefore, by means of integration or creativity, this project promotes the public well-being by combining co-operation and the ability to revitalize of each artist.

These houses will be transformed into a live and dynamic museum in which all participants will be able to experience and enjoy the artistic and cultural expression of all the islands. We also count on the participation of local agents, from youngsters to elders, whom are the integrating part of the dynamization and concretization of the project.

II. Opening of the Artist House

This house will host any artist who, every year will be willing to share his skills by training and leading workshops interacting with the local population, and participating in local development projects. This house will provide a new framework to all those wishing to participate to the local living environment, through a new experience for both the artist and the population who, day-to-day, interacts and shares their lives with him or her.

III. Poetic Path

Praise every Cape Verdean and foreign poet throughout a pathway of two kilometers where, each thirty meters away there will be a panel describing a poetry of a Cape Verdean or foreign writer. This poetry will be translated in three languages so that all international participants will have access to the Cape Verdean literature. A the end of the Poetic Path, there will be a traditional home of poetry representing five continents, previously selected to put forward the universal human values.

IV. River of Love

Praise to the Cape Verdean woman through a sculpture as well as to the Mythological Woman of the World. This will be done through the first example of Ivory Coast, dedicated to the Queen Pokou. A writer of each country will be selected to tell starting from a book made-up of 11 legends which contributed to the female history of each country. The same way, a painter will be selected to visualize the image of these women, based on original mythical criterias.

V. Transatlantic Passeport of Art in Cape Verde

This passport aims at familiarizing the public to a greater exposure to the Art in Cape Verde, by promoting a transnational universal language as a common ground within cultural diversity. This passport represents the entry ticket and access to the Transatlantic International Space of the Art of Cape Verde, located in Porto Madeira. Each page of the passport will receive a stamp with an entry visa to each artistic activity space.

VI. Artistic Award for Each Activity

Based on the popular vote of all the participants who obtained the passport and the respective visa to each activity, these awards will be designed by the Artist Misa, to celebrate this event and given by its Excellence, the President of the Republic of Cape Verde in presence and co-partnership of all the ministers and ambassadors.

VII. Audio-visual

All the audio-visual artists will be invited to take part with fictions, documentary or photographs, of the kind claimed for each one.

VIII. Popular and Musical Entertainment

During this month, all of the Transatlantic Space will be surrounded by Cape Verdean popular tales, traditional music and by playwrights of Cape Verde. This will be the basis of all the activities of this project.