Braga and Penafiel: The Defence of Nature arrives to northern Portugal

To think of natural spaces as spaces for creation and artistic experience is the main purpose of The Defence of Nature. A project developed by BoCA – Bienal of Contemporary Arts since 2021, it brings together local communities and artists, calling on them to contribute to a forest of works of art. After travelling to Faro, Almada and Lisbon, it has now reached northern Portugal, in partnership with the municipalities of Braga and Penafiel. On 16 November, at 9am, the meeting is scheduled for the auditorium of the new culture and creativity space in Penafiel, Ponto C. And the following week, on the 22nd and 23rd, 100 trees and shrubs will be added to what is already the largest urban park of native forest in the country, Monte Picoto, in Braga.

Inspired by the legacy of 7,000 oak trees by Joseph Beuys (1921-86), a key figure in ecological art, who also argued that ‘we can all be artists’, BoCA began to design a project – inclusive and participatory, with a ten-year horizon and in different national geographies – of plantations as citizenship exercises. Inclusive and participatory, it initially invites all citizens – regardless of age or gardening skills – to plant a tree and give it a title. What follows is a call to artists and curators for performances, events, debates or conferences; combining artistic programming with the creation of natural spaces.

The Defence of Nature kicked off in 2021, involving the municipalities of Lisbon, Almada and Faro. For example, in the Chelas Valley in the Portuguese capital in 2022, 122 participants helped plant 580 specimens (including cork oaks, holm oaks, almond trees, carob trees and wild pear trees). And they returned on 23 March this year to plant a total of 450 oak, strawberry and rosemary trees.

As far as artistic intervention is concerned, BoCA invited Delfim Sardo and Sílvia Gomes to curate I Want to See My Mountain, a cycle of performances in natural spaces. Gustavo Sumpta presented his Denomination of Controlled Origin, Gustavo Ciríaco took us on the Carousel, Musa paradisiaca created a Monument for Amateurs – Solar Boat, Diana Policarpo showed the way along Green Walks, the Berru contributed with Fluid Matter, Dayana Lucas showed that it is possible to Fall Upwards and Sara Bichão took a block of ice, which melted along the way, across the Tagus in a rowing boat, between Belém and Trafaria.

Initiatives that, over a ten-year horizon, will translate into plantations of creations – natural and artistic – with an impact on various levels: social, cultural and environmental. And the mission to defend the nature around us through citizen, educational and artistic activism.