In this time of pandemic and panic atmosphere, one of the positive things that happens and brings Funchal to life is this festival. It was unusual and interesting to see "living statues" on the streets of Funchal.
Living Statues unite plastic arts (costumes, special effects, characterization, design and props) with performing arts, such as choreography, illusion and interaction. It was in the ancient Greek theater, that in certain situations the actors posed to imitate statues, where this art seems to have started. Then, representations of immobile groups appeared showing live pictures in the Renaissance.
With this special edition, the Madeira Street Arts Festival intends to promote and dignify this art, placing the city of Funchal on the international circuit of living statues, presenting the Madeiran public and its visitors with yet another cultural offer in the region.
About the Festival
Madeira is one of the most desirable tourist destinations in the world. Bringing performing art, such as contemporary circus, dance, theater, music, live statues, juggling, among other artistic manifestations, to the public space, further dignifies our destiny.
This Festival is an innovative way to boost the island in a positive way, allowing access to its contents to a diverse, inter-generational, national and international audience.
Taking art to the public space is to democratize it and make it possible for everyone to have the same rights to access content that is often barred in theaters and other closed spaces not reaching everyone.
We intend to provide artistic experiences that reach everyone without any type of barriers, so that the community that lives on the island has a diverse cultural experience and so that the large percentage of tourists receive a unique experience of art in the open, allowing cohabitation in harmony with the culture, architecture and history of Madeira.
All of this is also an effective formula for integrating the community into artistic making, fostering the approach of professional artists who invade the space that belongs to everyone, not to destroy it, but to make it grow while preserving its history, valuing memories and creating sharing and renewing the culture of our territory.
We believe that our island has all the potential to become an essential pole for the development of street arts in Portugal. Due to its climate, architectural, cultural, tourist features and everything that is attached to this, we have no doubt that this will be a valuable project with a promising future.
Living Statues:
"Almost (im) possible figure" by António Santos
"Force of Nature" by Guilherme Ferreira
"Cartoonette" by Ita Branco
"Marinheiro" by Luís Fonseca
"Autumn" by Katarina Ferreira
"Love is blind" by Susana Bento
CARTOONETTE
"Cartoonette" has escaped from a drawing into the real world. A very lively character who captivates the public for her appearance and good humor. It promises moments of spontaneous entertainment, surprises and many laughs with its peculiar genius. Due to the painting technique used in the suit, it takes on a two-dimensional image, looking like a drawing on a sheet of paper.
Cartoonette won the first prize at the International Festival of Living Statues of Águeda 2016, was the main artist invited to the Live Arts of Rehovot 2016, in Israel. She won the third prize of the World Living Statues Championship 2017 in Arnhem, in the Netherlands and won the Audience award at the UFO Festival - Uliczny Festiwal Osobliwości in Szamotuly, Poland.
ALMOST (IM) POSSIBLE FIGURE
It is a living statue created by Staticman (António Santos) in which the law of gravity is challenged by means of equilibrium structures. The result is of high visual impact, making the audience remember the dreams in which we levitate…
FORCE OF NATURE
Live statue performance inspired by the "Force of Nature" statue by Italian sculptor Lorenzo Quinn.
"We humans consider ourselves to be superior beings, above all others and in absolute control of our destiny and our environment. We live in a false sense of security, which is easily shaken by the fury of nature."
Thank you Lorenzo Quinn and Ruben Silva for the opportunity to share your ideas and these wonderful photos.
Veronika Zhezhovska 10.11.2020
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