In Autumn 2021 I have decided to expand the research to the Iberia Peninsula, starting in Portugal, at Foundation Obras Art Residency in Evoramonte. I developed a series of site-specific participatory performances and other invocations; El Pozo da Marmeleira & Marble Songs, September 2021.
El Pozo da Marmeleira
When the Spell is Broken
The word Moura in Portugal folklore and mythology is used to designate not only monuments, ruins, springs, and other sacred portals but also those that offer a strange pagan appearance and those who in any way called into question the sovereignty of the catholic church. They appear, singing, balancing stones /rocks while spinning yarn, and Combing their hair.
The Moura is a feminine element associated with beauty, hidden in the center of the earth. They live in streams, fountains, and stones, often in the form of snakes/serpents that ask to be disenchanted. She is associated with Melusina. The relationship with the water is very strong, as a sanctification of great importance, as well as the emotion that accompanied the enchanting process. How to break the spell?
We heard the call from an enchanted Moura, asking us for help to break the spell that keeps her tied to the well. We share our memories, dreams, and miseries as offering to the well, collectively we dress the well and sang into the hole together, and then just over the Holy mountain of Évora Monte, the Venus star rose at twilight.
In mythology the entity in the well ( the Moura) is being seen with a rock on her head while spinning a yarn, it is believed she is the one who build the megaliths so has a strong connection to stones and rocks and underground realms in this area, she lives in wells, rocks, springs, ruins, and rivers. These water mythological entities are under a spell by a figure of father or distorted male abuser, and they request help to break the spell so they can awake and celebrate Freedom. She is associated with sculpture, weaving, shapeshifting into a snake and she likes to receive milk, bread, fig, and quince. So we brought all these, roses, olives and other flowers and magick beings, offer them to the well to start a process until the summer solstice when the spell finally will break.
The next offerings to the well will happen at the hour of the day that Venus rules on the summer solstice, which is then when the Moura will ask for us to break the Spell.
Venus Dial, Marble & swan feather. 2021.
The Venus Dial carved on mármol, ( Aphrodite stone for love, protection, and trust ) The Venus Dial carved on mármol evokes another way of relating to time and marks the planetary timing of Venus at the different hours in the days of the week. Proposing to revisit how we relate to planetary and cosmic time. Venus was born from a coalition with another planet that sent its axis to rotate inverted to the rest of the planets of the solar system. It is a planet that helps to expand through our relationship with ourselves and the other. evoke another way of relating to time and marks the planetary timing of Venus at the different hours in the days of the week. Proposing to revisit how we relate to planetary and cosmic time. Venus was born from a collision with another planet that sent its axis to rotate inverted to the rest of the planets of the solar system. It is a planet that helps to expand through our relationship with ourselves and the other.
Marble Songs
On the First Research trip and participatory performance at the Marble quarries of the Estremoz Anticline in the Alentejo region, we find marble stones that trace the last six to seven hundred million years. The human print of humans on earth is deep and brutal here. We ask the Marble stone for a message and it spoke to us clearly in the form of a song that we collectively received.
The word Marble from Greek means Crystalline Rock, shining stone, spirit awaits the awakening of powers of marble, this yin mineral is the stone of the goddess of love Aphrodite, her temples were built solely from Marble. Marble keeps away the evil spirits and attracts light. It is connected to the elements of water, hold one close if you need to protect yourself from aggressions as it increases trust and sympathy in others.
Foundation Obras Art Residency