Pewa, 2025
Funk, 2025
Samba, 2025
Sabia, 2025
Cururu, 2025
Ipê, 2025
Joana Vasconcelos Portugal, b. 1971
Further images
One of her most iconic series is the "Bestiary," where ceramic animals are covered with hand-made crochet. In this series, Vasconcelos selects animals with which humans have relationships of control or fear, such as horses, bulls, wolves, cats, snakes, and crabs. The sculptures are based on naturalistic ceramics, hand-painted, and inspired by the works of the Portuguese artist Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro. Each piece is covered with crochet made by craftswomen from Pico Island, in the Azores, highlighting traditional techniques and honoring the cultural legacy of these women. The use of crochet in these works creates a "second skin" that simultaneously protects and traps the animals, generating a tension between comfort and power. This approach invites reflection on the dichotomies between the domestic and the wild, the feminine and the masculine, the public and the private. Furthermore, by incorporating elements traditionally associated with women's work, Vasconcelos questions and subverts gender stereotypes and cultural hierarchies.