Aoaní Salvaterra & Joyce Souza

Aoaní Salvaterra and Joyce Souza are in artistic residence at Espaço Alkantara during the first weeks of August with the project Kabeça.

The cranium is a conjunction of bones holding the brain, the central organ of the nervous system responsible for memory, intelligence and the emotions. Besides the brain, other organs connected to the senses, countless muscles, nerve endings, and blood and lymph vessels are housed in this region. At the top of our bodies are our hair, nape and face. Located strategically on top of the neck sits our head.

In Yorubá Orí means head. More than a physiologically structured body part, Orí is an orixá, a god, a personal and untransferable divinity. Orí will accompany the individual from before their birth until after their death.

The head, the Orí, encounters the daily image/ghost of acephalous machine bodies. Dismembered from their members, the “heads”, their sharpened guillotines and the constant threat to memory worry us and bring us to KABEÇA.

It is from these reflections, and others, that the project kabeça emerges. A plunge imbued with the desire for aquilombamento, expansion and coming together.

What is in the heads of two Black women in diaspora?

What is brought to mind by two Black women in diaspora coming together?

How can we keep our heads?

Aoní Salvaterra and Joyce Souza

Kabeça is one of the pieces selected in the Kilombo programme Open Call. It will be presented in November at São Luiz Teatro Municipal as part of Alkantara Festival 2023.

Credits

Created & performed by Aoaní Salvaterra e Joyce Souza Schenography & Costumes Neusa Trovoada Light design Ariene Godoy Support Dori Nigro & Casa da Dança Almada