Partilhamos os bons momentos do Festival do Castanho 2016.
Os Lavradores no mercado Municipal de Montalegre.
UM FELIZ 2018
7º Festival do Castanho
Paradela do Rio | Montalegre - 1 a 8 de Setembro 2016
A 7 ª edição do Festival do Castanho decorrerá entre o dia 1 e o dia 8 de Setembro .
As artes performativas e plástica continuarão a dar o mote ao festival.
Adiantamos já algumas ideias/propostas/guião:
- Criação de um painel em cerâmica
- Mural-pintura
- Construção de sinalética para ser usada no caminho que interliga a aldeia de Paradela do Rio a Fiães do Rio
- Pintar no cimento
Performances ( poesia, contos de histórias, dança, teatro , malabarismos...) a realizar na eira, na fonte, no forno e no monte.
Convidamos-te a participar neste encontro, experimental de arte no castanho.
Este ano, não temos a disponibilidade da escola,foi vendida!
Este ano, não temos a disponibilidade da escola,foi vendida!
Para alojamento, temos um terreno próximo da nossa casa, onde se pode acampar e também algum espaço na arte da terra para os menos amantes deste modelo!
Arte da terra servirá de apoio logístico (cozinha e oficinas) .
Mais uma vez , teremos o apoio da Câmara Municipal de Montalegre ,que nos garante os bens alimentares e alguns materiais
Pensa numa proposta, nós aqui estaremos para juntos, a abraçar.
Envia-nos um email com a tua inscrição com nome, contacto e proposta para :
festivalofbrown@gmail.com
Abraços
Festival do Castanho 15 | Festival of Brown 15
O castanho continua na sua forma humilde e sábia de fazer furor...
Um encontro fresco e inovador, com momentos criativos,mágicos e divertidos,transformando-se já numa paragem necessária, a nós e à aldeia,cada vez, com menos pessoas
A Joana, a Bia, o Zé, a Bina, a Georgina, o Tzuf, a Mariana, a Maria, a Fidélia, o Marcelino, o Daniel, o Alex, o João, a Margarida, a Inês, o Rui, a Maria animaram a 6ªedição do Festival do Castanho, foi um sucesso envolvente nas oficinas, na experimentação na cozinha, na improvisação, na natureza.
Acrescentamos mais magia,companhia e alegria...
Três totens de cerâmica, a instalação dos pés fornos na terra, uma pintura-mural, o ninho, o carvalhinho, o caranguejo, o telescópio, a flor carnívora, o nadador-vaso, a galinha malandra, a baleia, pequenos apontamentos de cor e forma pela aldeia.
...de nu no em castanho semeamos ámos emos somos corpo nosso vosso!
Mais uma vez,as cores se misturaram,as emoções fluíram e baralharam-se num castanho maravilhoso!
Bem haja a nós.
Bem haja à câmara Municipal de Montalegre
Bem haja às pessoas de Paradela.
O grupo do Castanho
festival do castanho 2015
Car@s Amig@s,
Paradela já tem saudades nossas! A boa notícia é que voltaremos a
anima-la em breve. Temos todo o prazer em convidar-vos a fazer
parte da sexta colheita do Castanho. Dizem que é aos 6 anos que ascrianças vão para a Escola Primária, por isso, meus meninos, desta
vez é “obrigatório”.
Este ano propomos um dia - uma oficina, desde circo, cerâmica,
construção de instrumentos musicais, entre outras ideias que andam
a dançar até serem definidas. Teremos então, um castanho, com um
grupo de energia em que tod@s teremos oportunidade de explorar.
Precisamos de saber se estás interessad@ em fazer parte desta
colheita, que decorrerá 27 de Agosto (Quinta-feira) até 3 de Setembro
(outra Quinta-feira), na aldeia de Paradela. Uma semana de animação, de
conversa, trabalho e um intercâmbio entre os “castanhos” e a
comunidade da aldeia.
Para participares confirma até 10 de Agosto (2015). Temos lotação
limitada no festival.
Basta enviar um email para festivalofbrown@gmail.com com o nome,
contacto telefónico e um “sorriso”. Convidamos-te, também para
partilhares alguma proposta, caso queiras fazer parte daprogramação, temos as noites “virgens”.
Após recebido o teu email, enviaremos programação e outras
informações.
Até breve
Um abraço,
o grupo do Castanho
09 Julho 2015
Escola Primária de Paradela
5470-362 Paradela Tel. 276566100
Tlm. 917457337 festivalofbrown@gmail.com
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
festival do castanho 2013
festival do castanho - paradela do rio 2013 from festival of brown on Vimeo. (há mais slide-shows do festival no Vimeo)
A aldeia, as impressões, os objectos, os olhares, as emoções, as propostas, a transformação, os processos e as pessoas fazem do festival do castanho um acontecimento muito especial! Sinto-o como um feitiço que provoca as nossas vidas, espicaça a nossa criatividade, nos anima e estimula para este encontro curioso de saberes e gosto de experimentar. maria, zé, carolina, duarte, maria, joana, sebastião, alex, andré, joão, miguel, francisco, pedro, mescla, nelson, joão, hugo, teresa, susana, joana, daniel, joão, susana, tomás, joão, georgina, heitor, joaninha, joão, eugénia, diogo e daniela envolveram-se na efemeridade dos projectos já pensados, e em outros que a aldeia inspirou: na construção de uma tenda-abrigo, num muro-mobil, na pintura de portas, cancelas, carro de bois, caixas de incêndio, poste e varanda, na lã enfeltrada, na sombra pintada, nas pedras com lã no muro, nas pedrinhas na fonte, na construção da bicicleta, na máquina de desenhar, na recolha de terras para fazer objectos cozidos em soenga, no enxerto de lã na vinha, nas mariolas, na jangada e na tinturaria vegetal para a lã. A jam session, as estórias, a poesia, as cantigas, o malabarismo, a arte corporal, a queimada barrosã e o teatro de fantoches criaram belos momentos de prazer e magia. Saímos, mais uma vez, contentes desta manifestação de arte!
O grupo do Castanho
Maria, Zé, Sabine e Peter
Impressões da Pietrina Atzori
Totem do Luis Raposo
Festival do Castanho 2013 | Festival of Brown 2013
Olá a Todos,
Convidamos-te mais uma vez a participares no 5º Festival do Castanho que decorrerá na aldeia de Paradela do Rio, Montalegre, de 1 a 8 de Setembro.
A motivação deste ano será
A motivação deste ano será
A arte efémera (música, poesia, teatro, dança, instalação, escultura, performance, mecanismos...).
As obras desenvolvidas durante o festival farão parte da aldeia.
Teremos a Escola que funcionará como espaço de acolhimento e de trabalho e contamos com o apoio da Câmara Municipal de Montalegre.
Por favor envia a tua proposta até 15 de Agosto.
Vamos trabalhar juntos e ultrapassar as fronteiras das disciplinas.
Abraços
O Grupo do Castanho
Maria, Zé, Peter e Sabine
Contato: festivalofbrown@gmail.com
____________________________________
Dear friends,
we are happy to invite you to participate in the 5thFestival of Brown which will be held in Paradela do Rio, Montalegre, Tras-os-Montes, Portugal from the 1st to the 8th of September.
Our theme this year is
‘Ephemeral Art’ (including music, poetry, theatre, dance, installation, sculpture, performance and mechanisms...).
We have use of the School which will be our base and we are grateful for the support of the Câmara Municipal de Montalegre.
Please reply if you wish to attend - and include a proposal if you have one - by the 15th of August.
We will work together to transcend the borders of disciplines.
Hugs,
Grupo do Castanho
Maria, Zé, Peter and Sabine
Contact: festivalofbrown@gmail.com
we are happy to invite you to participate in the 5thFestival of Brown which will be held in Paradela do Rio, Montalegre, Tras-os-Montes, Portugal from the 1st to the 8th of September.
Our theme this year is
‘Ephemeral Art’ (including music, poetry, theatre, dance, installation, sculpture, performance and mechanisms...).
We have use of the School which will be our base and we are grateful for the support of the Câmara Municipal de Montalegre.
Please reply if you wish to attend - and include a proposal if you have one - by the 15th of August.
We will work together to transcend the borders of disciplines.
Hugs,
Grupo do Castanho
Maria, Zé, Peter and Sabine
Contact: festivalofbrown@gmail.com
festival do castanho 2012 | festival of brown 2012
AN ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH FESTIVAL OF BROWN 2012
The second of the 2 FESTIVALS this year happened in BRIGHTON, ENGLAND and culminated in a public performance and exhibition on Sunday 23rd of September. The whole festival was based at the Coach House, a small, discreet and secluded venue in Brighton’s Kemp Town and quite the brownest room short of the Old Bailey. The Festival’s initial meeting on Monday 17th of September attracted 19 participants and involved a lively, interesting and wide-ranging discussion about brown and its many connotations, shades, moods and aspects. Various ideas were proposed and some of them were even brought to fruition in the week ahead. The whole event was marked by a friendly and co-operative atmosphere and a great willingness to honour this most downtrodden of colours. At the final event: There were readings by Tim Wood, Annie Kerr, Sabine Schroepel and Peter Pick. Peter read the poem ‘things to say about brown’ (as usual). Annie read ‘the inventor’ and a piece naming many of the terms used by the manufacturers of paint to avoid saying brown. Sabine Schroepel read a short story of her own invention. Tim read some brown fragments and a piece about a car crash. There were performances by VV, Sabine Portela and Carolina Diaz. VV’s piece was called ‘her outdoors’ and included film, installation and live performance, a carpet covered in earth and eggs and a soundtrack with music by the vitamin b12, narration by Mark Anthony Whiteford and the participation of Ines Blasco-Petty. Carolina Diaz danced shadows with Annie Kerr’s reinterpretation of Bach. Sabine Portela performed ‘fragments’ with projected light and her narration was read by Peter Pick. There was a therapeutic or confessional interlude in which Sara Jane Glendinning and Nick Sebley spoke of unrequited love and stirred up contributions about mourning and loss from the floor. There was a theatrical piece or sketch in which Michael Gale interviewed Nick Sebley and Sabine Schroepel about the ‘Brown Movement’ and its political aims. It seems that the intention of the movement is to compost or mulch Canary Wharf and seed the remains with marigolds imported from ‘Czechoslovakia’ on donkeys. There was music from the choir of rolls, Annie Kerr and meshmass. The choir of rolls featured Emily, Lola, Peter, Richard and Melanie, and Nigel played the marimba. Annie Kerr played an improvisation based on one of Bach’s partitas for violin. meshmass played and were augmented for the occasion by Tim Wood (tenor saxophone), Annie Kerr (violin) and Nigel French (percussion). Everybody did remarkably well considering that nobody had the slightest idea what they were doing. There was brown art on display from Carolina Diaz, Tim Wood, Alanna, Peter Pick, Michael Gale and Nick Sebley. There were photographs by Nigel French and there was a slideshow of brown photographs. This was only the culmination of a week’s collaborative effort including all these people some of the time and some of these people all of the time. Our grateful thanks to all participants and especially to those who made delicious food and cakes.
A Carolina, a Georgina, o Sebastião, a Rafaela, a Joana, o Nelson, a Susana, a Pietrina, o Soares, o Carlos, o João, o Peré, a Ana, o Duarte, o Victor, o Ângelo, a Joaninha, a Maria João, o Tomás, a Mescla, o Pedro e a Gabriela, o Zé e a Maria animaram o Festival do Castanho com muita emoção e entusiasmo, na aldeia de Paradela do Rio.
A nossa arte integrou-se nos telhados dos
tanques, na fonte, na varanda, na eira, no forno do povo, na horta, nas paredes,
no lameiro, na casa do correio, nos muros, na caixa do correio, nos postes e nas
escadas. Fica a sensação de que passou pela aldeia uma grande lufada de cor, de
formas, de magia e de companhia. Fizemos muito em pouco tempo!
Tornamos a aldeia mais curiosa e
divertida. Sentimo-nos muito felizes porque criamos esta manifestação de arte
coletiva de uma forma muito harmoniosa, empenhada, humilde, e com uma excelente
colaboração entre todos. Fluiu muito bem! Foi muito bom!
Bem hajam "todos nós", por mais uma vez saímos
do Festival do Castanho satisfeitos!
Forte abraço,
Maria e Zé
.
festival of brown 2012 | festival do castanho 2012
this year the festival of brown will happen in two different places. after
three succesful years in portugal we are expanding and holding one event in
paradela, portugal and one in brighton, england.
from the 17th to the 23rd of september we will gather a group of artists at
the coach house, kemptown, brighton in order to create and stage an
exhibition/performance the form and style of which will be entirely dependent on
the participants. we hope that many of our old friends will join us and we
welcome new artists in our continuing celebration of the colour
brown.
participants in the festival will not have to pay anything, it will be free. food may be provided.
on the 17th, 19th, 20th, and 21st of september from 6:00pm onwards we will meet at the coach house, a lovely room hidden inside the block of houses on walpole road, brighton and plan our event. we have few preconceptions about the event and we welcome artists in all media to join collectively in its creation, production and realisation. all we know is that it will be open to the public, will take place on sunday the 23rd of september and will celebrate the colour brown.
this is a great opportunity for artists to collaborate in an open, collective project. so often art is pursued alone, but we seek to hunt it in a pack judging that we may have more or different success by this means. we already have expressions of interest from dancers, musicians, writers, videographers, painters and photographers. we hope that you will come too and join this unique and exciting project.
all expressions of interest please to email: festivalofbrown@yahoo.co.uk
participants in the festival will not have to pay anything, it will be free. food may be provided.
on the 17th, 19th, 20th, and 21st of september from 6:00pm onwards we will meet at the coach house, a lovely room hidden inside the block of houses on walpole road, brighton and plan our event. we have few preconceptions about the event and we welcome artists in all media to join collectively in its creation, production and realisation. all we know is that it will be open to the public, will take place on sunday the 23rd of september and will celebrate the colour brown.
this is a great opportunity for artists to collaborate in an open, collective project. so often art is pursued alone, but we seek to hunt it in a pack judging that we may have more or different success by this means. we already have expressions of interest from dancers, musicians, writers, videographers, painters and photographers. we hope that you will come too and join this unique and exciting project.
all expressions of interest please to email: festivalofbrown@yahoo.co.uk
Este ano o grupo do castanho decidiu que o 4º festival do castanho irá realizar-se em dois universos diferentes em Paradela - Montalegre e em Brighton - Inglaterra.
O
4º Festival do Castanho, a decorrer entre os dias 1 e 8 de Setembro
de 2012, em Paradela do Rio, concelho de Montalegre, com o tema, "AS
PERSONAGENS DO CASTANHO".
Será
a oportunidade de participarmos num projecto de arte aberto e
colectivo.
Pretende-se inventar as personagens do castanho, através das várias expressões artísticas, cujas obras a desenvolver serão realizadas de forma coletiva e deverão ser concebidas para ficarem expostas em espaço público na aldeia de Paradela do Rio.
contato: festivalofbrown@gmail.com.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pretende-se inventar as personagens do castanho, através das várias expressões artísticas, cujas obras a desenvolver serão realizadas de forma coletiva e deverão ser concebidas para ficarem expostas em espaço público na aldeia de Paradela do Rio.
contato: festivalofbrown@gmail.com.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Grupo do Castanho – your humble committee – was invited to San Sperate on the island of Sardinia, a small town almost covered in murals. We stayed for 3 weeks and enjoyed extraordinary hospitality from the kind and generous people of the arts group ‘Noarte’.
If we thought we understood about food after the 3rd festival in Montalegre we were wrong – we rarely stopped eating in Sardinia and then only when our arms no longer reached the table due to the expansion of our stomachs. Despite this continuous feasting we worked long, diligently and hard to produce something almost invisible. Our work is eminently brown in every way and we are proud, happy, fat and exhausted. Our sincere thanks to the people of San Sperate for their friendship and patience.
Na sequência do projecto
europeu "GIVE" pensado pelo Ecomuseu em Montalegre e Noarte em San Sperate,
Sardenha, tivemos o privilégio de ser convidados pelo Ecomuseu, para
experienciar, viver, usufruir e criar algo naquela terra, durante 21 dias. Surge
o nosso Mural, na Rua Santa Prisca que alinha naquela maravilhosa galeria de
rua.
IL MURALE INVISIBILE – IL MURO VISIBILE
Il muro tradizionale fatto in mattoni di “terra cruda”, muro caratteristico di San Sperate, racchiude in se stesso la propria narrativa. E' un muro costituito di terra raccolta nell'area circostante, contiene anche pietre, vegetazione e frammenti di ceramica (tegole). Nonostante sia morbido, resiste nel tempo, la sua superficie è piena di interesse, scultoreo e con svariate tessiture.
Questa vecchia intrigante struttura è arte in sé. Una superficie cosi affascinate merita un maggiore apprezzamento dal publico. Oscurarla con un qualsiasi tipo di rappresentazione pittorica o intervento sarebbe non solo superfluo ma anche distruttivo. Il nostro lavoro qui sarà perciò invisibile. Il nostro contributo in questo laboratorio continuo di San Sperate ha il significato di trattenere e onorare le caratteristiche estetiche della regione. Speriamo soprattutto che questo intervento aiuti nella preservazione mettendo in evidenza il muro in se: un oggetto, una struttura e una superficie intrinseca di fascino, dignità e bellezza.
THE INVISIBLE MURAL - THE VISIBLE WALL
The traditional mud-brick “Terra Cruda” wall characteristic of San Sperate embodies its own narrative. Composed of the soil of the area it also contains stones, strands of vegetation and fragments of ceramic roof-tile and pottery. While soft it is durable, its surface is full of interest, sculptural and of varied texture.
This ancient and intriguing structure is art in and of itself. Such a fascinating surface deserves greater public appreciation. It would not only be superfluous but also destructive to obscure it with any painted representation purporting to be art. Our work here will be invisible. Our contribution to the ongoing project of mural-painting in San Sperate is a means of retaining and honouring the original aesthetic characteristics of the region. We hope above all that this intervention will assist in preserving and presenting the wall as itself: an object, structure and surface of intrinsic charm, dignity and beauty.
O MURAL INVISÍVEL – O MURO VISÍVEL
A parede tradicional em tijolos de terra “terra cruda”característica em San Sperate incorpora em si a sua própria narrativa. Composta de terra da região, ela também contém pedras, vestigios de vegetação e fragmentos de cerâmica (telhas e olaria). Enquanto macio é duradouro, a sua superfície está plena de interesse, é escultural e com texturas variadas.
A sua estrutura antiga e intrigante é arte em si. Tal superfície fascinante merece uma maior apreciação do público. Não seria somente supérfluo mas também destrutivo obscurece-lo com qualquer representação pintada pretendendo ser arte.O nosso trabalho aqui será invisível. A nossa contribuição no projeto de Murais em San Sperate é no sentido de reter e honrar as características estéticas originais da região. Esperamos que acima de tudo esta intervenção ajude na preservação e a revelar a parede em si: um objeto, uma estrutura e uma superficie intrínseca de charme, dignidade e beleza.
- GRUPO DO CASTANHO 2012 -
Maria Carvalho Rita Miranda Peter Pick Sabine Portela Zé Teixeira
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
A 3ª edição do Festival do Castanho foi, na sua primeira semana, um grande encontro de amigos e amigas que se uniram, pensaram e realizaram obras no castanho.
Com sensibilidades e sabedorias diferentes, empenharam-se em transmitir e entrecrtuzar as artes diponíveis para experimentar: a cúlinária verdadeiramente curiosa e genuína, a pintura com texturas e tocada por muitas mãos, a cerâmica com atividade contínua, a jóia do castanho, também sempre em criação, a gravura, com uma intensidade curiosa, o cabeçudo que deu volta às cabeças mas surgiu cabeçudo, o ferro forjado que teve uma animação de força e fogo, o vídeo que estava sempre lá para captar o máximo, a imagem animada que sintetiza o belo e interessante do castanho, o concerto dos "Meshmass" que nos deixou a todos a dançar, a performar e a brincar num grande momento de diversão, a dança e o teatro com uma presença fresca e elegante.
A inauguração da exposição foi o clímax da harmonia que existiu entre todos os participantes, que estiveram sempre em actividade durante quatro dias. Foi lindo!!!
Gostaríamos de manter esta força animada até ao próximo castanho, e que todas as amigas e amigos voltassem com a mesma energia que nos ligou neste maravilhoso Festival do Castanho!
Este encontro foi possível porque tivemos o grande apoio da equipa do Ecomuseu - Luísa, Gorete e David - assim como da Câmara Municipal de Montalegre. Muito obrigada a todos, e um especial obrigado à Sabine, à Maria, ao Zé e ao Peter.
what a lovely time we had at the third festival of brown. the exhibition continues until november 12th, but for now the workshops, concerts and events are over. a big thankyou to all those who gave workshops (in ceramics, painting, photography, dance, etching, jewelry, papier-maché, cooking, baking, metal-work and animated film), participated in them, and staged events and interventions throughout the festival - there were moments of unpredictable magic all week. thanks as well to the ecomuseu and to the câmara of montalegre for their support and assistance, for the use of the ecomuseu, the huge and extraordinary space of the multiusos, the student accommodation and the grounds of the castle.
on monday we had a meeting which although short was too long, and a meal in a restaurant which was also too long and was put to shame by the food prepared by the participants throughout the week. we were therefore late for the press conference which in any case we did not want to do, at which orlando alves of montalegre town council sat with the organising committee of sabine portela, zé teixeira, maria carvalho and peter pick and gave a speech about inclusivity. there was an eloquent response from the floor by ícaro pintor whose contributions throughout the week are worthy of particular mention. when asked to say something peter pick asked "can we go now?" and the representatives of the press who we had already kept waiting looked justly furious.
we began to unwrap the works contributed for the standing exhibition and made a start on arranging them in the exhibition space. unfortunately, no sooner had we set up the first room than workmen arrived to sand and varnish the floor.
on tuesday the workshops started huddled separately within the enormous multiusos. maria carvalho and georgina queiróz oversaw the ceramics in which individual pieces by each participant were designed to be assembled into a tower, and sabine portela the painting. tomás dias began with the very popular etching workshop and carried on indefatigably it seemed virtually 24 hours a day. the painting workshop started with the fundamentals of stretching and fixing the canvas, and was later to include the manufacture and use of the ancient medium of egg tempera. rita miranda, ran a workshop in jewelry-making using wire and wool which produced intricate and stylish results. that evening peter pick was brought 3 enormous cakes (as it was his birthday, he informed everyone) and was forced to deliver a heartfelt speech which (it seemed) contained only the words "really wonderful". unseen by nearly all, pedro braga organised wonderful food for all participants on a very limited budget. by thursday people were arriving from porto, having heard that a cheap and delicious meal was available.
the stop-motion animation workshop, run by tânia duarte with assistance from quico serrano and ícaro began the next day, and besides that tânia and quico filmed almost everything that went on throughout the week. nigel french arrived, fresh from handing in his m.a. project to conduct and friday and saturday's photography workshop. gitte ernst held a workshop in baking honeycake, which i can tell you was delicious.
on thursday horst stricker initiated a very popular metal-working workshop with two portable forges which continued the next day. horst was kept very busy trying to control a large number of participants all holding red hot metal bars which they worked into some surprisingly delicate shapes. in the evening, after yet another lavish meal 'meshmass' (richard miles: guitar and effects; and peter pick: laptop, alto saxophone and vocals) played in the great hall of the multiusos in almost complete darkness. they played for about 3 hours. quico helped them, playing keyboard. ícaro showed films on one wall and intervened in the audience. there was dancing. peter was wheeled about on a trolley by nigel, first playing the saxophone, but then screaming and dragging people out of the crowd. later he went out again with ícaro's megaphone, and ended up singing apparently in welsh. the sound was projected down from the ceiling and filled the aircraft-hanger sized multiusos like a ghostly and pervading presence with assistance from josé alves' p.a. (get better soon, josé!) after about 2 hours there was something of a chaotic period when the microphone was taken over by a succession of impromptu vocalists (among the best were ana lousada and carolina teixeira) and then richard's effects broke down (there was a screw loose - wouldn't you have guessed?) before control was regained and meshmass played us out. it was an extraordinary event full of unexpected theatre and even some music. there are photographs on the montalegre website (link below) but these are taken with flash and so do not convey the atmosphere, although it is wonderful to see them.
on friday nigel conducted the first part of his photography workshop and the standing exhibition was prepared - again. the opening ceremony began with an extraordinary performance and installation event conducted by ícaro and included performances of 'things to say about brown' in portuguese and english, sara leite sang a beautiful unaccompanied 'summertime' with a hint of fado influence and bruna martins performed a brilliant ecstatic dance to the accompaniment of clapping and bells. the whole event was surprising and well received.
saturday saw the conclusion of the photography workshop, and in the evening the company gathered within the castle walls to watch as carlos neto carefully managed the firing of the paper kiln. this wigwam-like structure of paper, stones and clay was filled with the products of the ceramic workshop and fuelled by wood. at first it produced huge quantities of smoke which filled up the castle and eventually the entire valley, attracting the bombeiros (fire brigade) who arrived in a land rover, but were persuaded that no harm was being done, except perhaps to people's washing and drove off again. eventually, as the clay inside dried and georgina queiróz patched up the holes that appeared in the skin of the kiln with liquid clay in paper the temperature was increased and bright flames shot out of the top. handfuls of salt were thrown in to appease the angry gods. ines vicente (with some help from zé and the crowd) gave a performance of a short piece by italo calvino, and bruna, carolina and joão soares performed a sort of shadow-show against the castle wall, making clever use of found lighting. on sunday morning the kiln was opened revealing a collection of beautiful pieces, subtly transformed by the fire. those belonging to the workshop were assembled into a tower which can be seen in the foyer of the ecomuseu, together with the results of the painting, etching and papier-maché workshops (special thanks to orlandina pinto e teresa pedrosa). later in the day short films shot at the festival were shown, and the advertisement 'spot' for the festival of brown 2012, made in the animation workshop concluded the programme.
there was a lot of hugging, and then gradually, we all went away, tired, and happy, and well fed and a little sad, and smelling of smoke.
thankyou all of you. we will remember this.
on monday we had a meeting which although short was too long, and a meal in a restaurant which was also too long and was put to shame by the food prepared by the participants throughout the week. we were therefore late for the press conference which in any case we did not want to do, at which orlando alves of montalegre town council sat with the organising committee of sabine portela, zé teixeira, maria carvalho and peter pick and gave a speech about inclusivity. there was an eloquent response from the floor by ícaro pintor whose contributions throughout the week are worthy of particular mention. when asked to say something peter pick asked "can we go now?" and the representatives of the press who we had already kept waiting looked justly furious.
we began to unwrap the works contributed for the standing exhibition and made a start on arranging them in the exhibition space. unfortunately, no sooner had we set up the first room than workmen arrived to sand and varnish the floor.
on tuesday the workshops started huddled separately within the enormous multiusos. maria carvalho and georgina queiróz oversaw the ceramics in which individual pieces by each participant were designed to be assembled into a tower, and sabine portela the painting. tomás dias began with the very popular etching workshop and carried on indefatigably it seemed virtually 24 hours a day. the painting workshop started with the fundamentals of stretching and fixing the canvas, and was later to include the manufacture and use of the ancient medium of egg tempera. rita miranda, ran a workshop in jewelry-making using wire and wool which produced intricate and stylish results. that evening peter pick was brought 3 enormous cakes (as it was his birthday, he informed everyone) and was forced to deliver a heartfelt speech which (it seemed) contained only the words "really wonderful". unseen by nearly all, pedro braga organised wonderful food for all participants on a very limited budget. by thursday people were arriving from porto, having heard that a cheap and delicious meal was available.
the stop-motion animation workshop, run by tânia duarte with assistance from quico serrano and ícaro began the next day, and besides that tânia and quico filmed almost everything that went on throughout the week. nigel french arrived, fresh from handing in his m.a. project to conduct and friday and saturday's photography workshop. gitte ernst held a workshop in baking honeycake, which i can tell you was delicious.
on thursday horst stricker initiated a very popular metal-working workshop with two portable forges which continued the next day. horst was kept very busy trying to control a large number of participants all holding red hot metal bars which they worked into some surprisingly delicate shapes. in the evening, after yet another lavish meal 'meshmass' (richard miles: guitar and effects; and peter pick: laptop, alto saxophone and vocals) played in the great hall of the multiusos in almost complete darkness. they played for about 3 hours. quico helped them, playing keyboard. ícaro showed films on one wall and intervened in the audience. there was dancing. peter was wheeled about on a trolley by nigel, first playing the saxophone, but then screaming and dragging people out of the crowd. later he went out again with ícaro's megaphone, and ended up singing apparently in welsh. the sound was projected down from the ceiling and filled the aircraft-hanger sized multiusos like a ghostly and pervading presence with assistance from josé alves' p.a. (get better soon, josé!) after about 2 hours there was something of a chaotic period when the microphone was taken over by a succession of impromptu vocalists (among the best were ana lousada and carolina teixeira) and then richard's effects broke down (there was a screw loose - wouldn't you have guessed?) before control was regained and meshmass played us out. it was an extraordinary event full of unexpected theatre and even some music. there are photographs on the montalegre website (link below) but these are taken with flash and so do not convey the atmosphere, although it is wonderful to see them.
on friday nigel conducted the first part of his photography workshop and the standing exhibition was prepared - again. the opening ceremony began with an extraordinary performance and installation event conducted by ícaro and included performances of 'things to say about brown' in portuguese and english, sara leite sang a beautiful unaccompanied 'summertime' with a hint of fado influence and bruna martins performed a brilliant ecstatic dance to the accompaniment of clapping and bells. the whole event was surprising and well received.
saturday saw the conclusion of the photography workshop, and in the evening the company gathered within the castle walls to watch as carlos neto carefully managed the firing of the paper kiln. this wigwam-like structure of paper, stones and clay was filled with the products of the ceramic workshop and fuelled by wood. at first it produced huge quantities of smoke which filled up the castle and eventually the entire valley, attracting the bombeiros (fire brigade) who arrived in a land rover, but were persuaded that no harm was being done, except perhaps to people's washing and drove off again. eventually, as the clay inside dried and georgina queiróz patched up the holes that appeared in the skin of the kiln with liquid clay in paper the temperature was increased and bright flames shot out of the top. handfuls of salt were thrown in to appease the angry gods. ines vicente (with some help from zé and the crowd) gave a performance of a short piece by italo calvino, and bruna, carolina and joão soares performed a sort of shadow-show against the castle wall, making clever use of found lighting. on sunday morning the kiln was opened revealing a collection of beautiful pieces, subtly transformed by the fire. those belonging to the workshop were assembled into a tower which can be seen in the foyer of the ecomuseu, together with the results of the painting, etching and papier-maché workshops (special thanks to orlandina pinto e teresa pedrosa). later in the day short films shot at the festival were shown, and the advertisement 'spot' for the festival of brown 2012, made in the animation workshop concluded the programme.
there was a lot of hugging, and then gradually, we all went away, tired, and happy, and well fed and a little sad, and smelling of smoke.
thankyou all of you. we will remember this.
festival do castanho 2011 - imprensa
festival of brown 2011 - press
http://www.cm-montalegre.pt/showSub.php?n_sub=130
slide-show from over 50 photographers all over the world, thinking about brown
http://official.fm/tracks/285908
meshmass is playing: back to the forest
standing exhibition in the ecomuseu de barroso, montalegre
exposição no ecomuseu de barroso, montalegre
http://www.flickr.com//photos/65550385@N03/show/
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slide-show festival of brown 2011 from festival of brown on Vimeo.
http://official.fm/tracks/285908
meshmass is playing: back to the forest
standing exhibition in the ecomuseu de barroso, montalegre
exposição no ecomuseu de barroso, montalegre
http://www.flickr.com//photos/65550385@N03/show/
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