pedras portuguesas (portuguese stones) #1, 2017
portuguese stones, iron box and cement
100 x 150 x 10 cm
photo Filipe Berndt

One of the main symbols of the invasion and colonization, the Portuguese stones settled the arrival of the Portuguese colonizers to the called "New World". It was common that the labor used do build the pavement with the stones was of enslaved people.

In "Portuguese stones", the names of the ports of origin of the slave ships are written using the Portuguese paving technique. This operation evidences the centrality of the traffic of enslaved to the sedimentation of the colonization. When they entered the boats, millions of people belonging to various social organizations of the African continent lost their roots, and were forced to build a new "identity" as enslaved people during the crossing.

pedras portuguesas (portuguese stones) #2, 2017
portuguese stones, iron box and cement
100 x 150 x 10 cm
photo Filipe Berndt

pedras portuguesas (portuguese stones) #3, 2017
portuguese stones, iron box and cement
100 x 150 x 10 cm
photo Filipe Berndt