TRACE's preparatory and research residency took place in the primary forest of Madeira Island, in the areas of Fanal and Fajã da Nogueira, during the first half of December 2020 with Sara Anjo.
TRACE works with the body in relation to the surrounding environment. And in Madeira Island several walks were made to visit the centenary trees from Laurel Forest, one of the main primary forests in Europe.
This Forest remains intact because of the island orography, with hard and difficult access, which stops the human action of exploration and exploitation.
© Carlos Carneiro and Sara Anjo
During November 2020, we were still in a preparatory moment. Invited by the professor Anabela Mendes, we presented the project in the "Aesthetics Performative Studies Seminar" from the Performative Arts Bachelor at the Faculty of Letters of Lisbon.
Working with TRACE scores we developed a sonic recording with the collaboration of the following students: Adriana Gonçalves, Araiana Gambala, Diana César, Giulia Dal Piaz and Leonor Madureira. This recording had the sound design of Sara Anjo and mastering of Artur Pispalhas.
The recording is in portuguese.
We had the first artistic residency in O Espaço do Tempo, during the 1st week of January, with Flora Détraz, Nádia Yaracema and also with Mickaella Dantas, that from London connected with us through virtual space.
TRACE is a project that puts the body in direct relationship with the territory and from this experience we highlight the visit to Freixo do Meio homestead. We observed the agroforestry plantations, an Utopia in progress that proves that the soil and landscape of the Alentejo is not monotonous, much less a desert. We danced next to "Zambujeiro do Tempo", a millennial tree that makes us travel for a long time and we also climbed to "Pedra Alta", where our megalithic ancestors met for rituals.
© Inês Samba and Sara Anjo
Our second residency took place online, between London and Lavre (Alentejo), with Mickaella Dantas and Sara Anjo.
There was an intensive, intricate and symbiotic exploration of the body in relation to the surrounding environment.
We also worked starting with the principle that in the beginning was the movement, life wrapped up in the Earth. Bodies, various and sundry, coalesced and rose until they stood, unsteadily, on their two feet, wavering and wobbling to keep their balance, since bodies are force fields traversed by a thousand vectors, stresses and strains, motions and commotions.
© Mickaella Dantas and Sara Anjo
To be inspired for the sound pieces we went to the Salinas do Samouco Foundation, in the last week of February. These salt pans are located in the nature reserve of the Tagus estuary. And are the largest wetland in Portugal as well as a sanctuary for fish, molluscs, crustaceans and, above all, birds.
At this time of the year, the Samouco Salt Flats are a refuge at high tide for the Black-Tale Godwit, a great migratory bird. In addition to this species, we could hear and see several others, for instance the exuberant Flamant.
© Artur Pispalhas and Sara Anjo
The shooting of the videos TRACE II and TRACE III, Flora Détraz, Nádia Yracema and Sara Anjo were filming with Joana Linda. We returned to Salinas do Samouco to be next to this bird sanctuary, where the rhythm of the tides takes us to different landscapes and different ecosystems.
We were also in Lavre, a small village in Alentejo, with the cork oaks, whose growth gave way to trees with curious shapes.