why
through dialogue with Fontes’ residents, we’ve uncovered small stories and myths preserved in the collective memory and passed down from generation to generation.
one such story is the myth of the river spring. according to the residents of Fontes, when the first heavy rains arrive, there comes a day when the earth begins to tremble. a low roar emerges from the ground, growing steadily louder and more intense, until the spring bursts forth.
what
two main elements: sound and water. a 45-minute soundtrack is performed live in the riverbed. the water reacts to the sound, creating curves and movements that are reflected and projected onto a suspended white circle.
credits
concept / casota collective
production / omnichord team
lights & music / casota collective + nuno rancho
lavadouro mapas
why
inspired by the stories of women who used to gather in the old washhouses, we explored this space of feminine coexistence, where clothes were washed and confidences were shared.
fifty years ago in Portugal, menstruation was still a deeply taboo subject, rarely discussed, even among women. a story that stayed with us came from a member of Pinheiro’s female choir. she recounted:
"one day, I was at the washhouse when a lady arrived wearing red shoes. at some point, she left the group to wash her daughter’s underwear by the riverbank. as the water turned red, she tried to hide it 'oh, these shoes release so much dye’.”
what
an installation featuring human-like sculptures, natural light, and evocative scents.
we handcrafted a soap engraved with a poignant quote from one of the choir’s members: “puta que pariu as saudades”—"fuck nostalgia."
the installation site also featured a music performance by Bia Maria and Pinheiro’s choral group.
why
in 2022, Caldas Late Night invited artists from Colectivo Serra, of which we are members, to create an art installation.
in 2024, we did it again at Casa Varela to commemorate 50 years since the end of Portugal's dictatorship.
what
the installation Death of a Dictator is a sensory performance that engages viewers on multiple levels.
beyond the visual and auditory elements, the performance elicits a deeper sensory, moral, and intellectual response. it stages the moment of death or near-death of notorious dictators from history—typically associated with compassion or distress—yet seeks to provoke feelings of relief, justice, or even joy.
does this shift our moral compass? should the death of a dictator be celebrated, or is the death of any individual inherently wrong to rejoice in? through this thought-provoking work, Colectivo Serra leaves the answer to the audience.
credits
concept / leonardo rito
set design / leonardo rito + casota collective
light & sound design / casota collective
design / lisa teles
cast / members of Colectivo Serra
edgar valente + grupo coral dos pinheiros + rancho da região de leiria mapas
why
the challenge was to transform a vast white pavilion into an intimate setting for Edgar Valente’s collaborative show with the "Grupo Coral dos Pinheiros" and "Rancho da Região de Leiria."
what
light served as the transformative element of the space. we blocked all natural light sources except for the windows on the sunset side, where we applied strong orange filters to create a warmer, more intimate atmosphere. the circular set was designed to allow the audience to walk around the artists, enabling them to experience the show from multiple perspectives and feel like an integral part of it.
ph: idalécio francisco