Closer Than Cafundó

Closer than Cafundó approaches the history of mineral exploitation in Brazil. Mining is a very important factor of Brazilian economy, which is surprisingly neglected in daily life and hidden in collective visual consciousness and public debate in the biggest mining state of Brazil, Minas Gerais.

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An associative wandering through Brazilian past and present, the piece is a slideshow in which a loop-narration derives from the meaning of certain indigenous names of mining towns in MG. The history of decimation of indigenous population and African slavery in colonial times is mixed with minerals and food, in stories of abandonment and isolation. The past of Minas Gerais, from its territorial occupation to its social configuration, is presented in relation to names, stones, inheritances. The narration refers to practices in post-mining operations, contrasting with the necessity of land for the same communities, which in the past have been sacrificed by the eagerness for precious minerals. The visuals derive from a photographic inventory of a “supermarket” for semi-precious stones in Minas Gerais’ capital Belo Horizonte, and of collections of beans and earth on the research campus of Viçosa University. Three images are courtesy of a member of the indigenous people Maxacali (Suely Maxacali). The work is also presented in the form of performed conferences, readings along with two musicians.

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[2015] Reading with projection and live music [25”] . Prerecorded video in loop. Audio in collaboration with Rogério Vasconcelos and Jalver Bethônico. Text and images: Mabe Bethônico, except three photos by and courtesy of Suely and Isael Maxacali.