Unveiling the Redemption of Recollection and Selfhood via Grounded History - Marcela da Terra Edition
In the rural community of Barra Grande, Paraty, artist Marcela da Terra has made a significant impact with her innovative interdisciplinary project. Coordinated through SESC (Social Service of Commerce), the project integrated local pigments into the school curriculum, fostering a unique connection between art, education, and the environment.
Marcela's passion for local knowledge and environmental interactions has led her to work with coastal communities in Paraná and embark on a 15-day canoe expedition guided by Renato Caiçara. Her work with the traditional caiçara communities, rooted in artisanal fishing, agriculture, and a close relationship with the Atlantic Forest, has been instrumental in creating public artworks in rural areas for the first time.
Marcela's artistic practice revolves around using natural materials like soils and pigments as a medium, tying her art closely to the environment and the cultural heritage associated with the land. Her approach merges artistic creation with community engagement, promoting a participatory process that connects people with the materials and traditions of their surroundings.
Throughout her career, Marcela has participated in numerous residencies and exhibitions across countries such as Portugal, France, Spain, the United States, Mexico, and Brazil, reflecting international recognition and her commitment to cross-cultural dialogues in art.
Marcela's work parallels projects like Red Line Service, which utilise art as a tool for building community care and social connectivity. This suggests that Marcela's work may similarly aim to build connections through culturally and ecologically grounded artistic practices.
Marcela's favourite format is the collective mural, which involves everyone from observation to painting, connecting not just with the planet, but with other people. Her first workshop took place at the university campus where she studied oceanography, a "pale" place with only two courses on offer: Oceanography and Aquaculture Engineering.
Marcela encountered the Cores da Terra (Colours of the Earth) project at the Federal University of Viçosa, a long-running initiative teaching communities to make their own paints using local soils. During a canoe expedition, Marcela discovered multiple layers of colourful clay in a riverbed, marking a turning point in her work with natural pigments.
Marcela's deeper dive into pigments began in Minas Gerais, where she and her mother began testing small-batch formulations with materials sourced around their native region. Bringing pigments into that space was both symbolic and transformative, marking the beginning of her journey bridging science and art through soil.
The mural developed with students in Barra Grande was a vehicle for connection—with the soil, with each other, and with a shared history often pushed to the margins. Mrs. Niede, a community elder and prominent leader in the struggle for land rights, participated in the project, sharing stories that were recognised as part of the students' family stories.
Marcela's soil-based paints have turned into a collaborative movement, equal parts art, science, and ancestral memory. As Renato Caiçara, a respected resident of Ilha das Peças in the region of the Paranaguá Bay and a custodian of caiçara heritage, noted, "Marcela's work is a testament to the power of art in connecting people with their roots and the land."
In summary, Marcela da Terra's story with natural pigments revolves around creating art that is both materially linked to the earth and socially embedded in community practices, using these elements to nurture cultural identity, sustainability, and collective engagement. Her work continues to inspire and bring people together, bridging the gap between science, art, and community.
- Marcela da Terra's artistic practice, rooted in the use of natural materials and community engagement, extends beyond her rural projects in Barra Grande to potential creations in areas of home-and-garden and education-and-self-development, fostering a unique blending of art, learning, and the environment.
- As Marcela's work with natural pigments continues to inspire and connect people, it could potentially enrich not only lifestyle endeavors, such as home-and-garden improvement or DIY art projects, but also educational initiatives focusing on environment and self-development, preserving and celebrating cultural heritage.
