Na Cozinha da Minha Avó (In My Grandmothers’ Kitchen)
Physically rebuilding the connection with family history, one tile at a time.
Project Description
The Azulejo tile is a staple ornamental art form in Portuguese culture with its glazed porcelain white and blue frequently depicting story and history. With the help of the DT+L I have UV printed archival photographs and cyanotype on ceramic tiles, mimicking the traditional form of the azulejo as an effort to invoke the tradition of my ancestors. My work ranges from the traditional, to domestic, and ultimately the contemporary uses and patterns of the ceramic tile art as an analogy of the changing time.
UV flatbed printed bisque fired tiles, varnished, grouted and mounted on wooden frames, 2023.
“I feel it slipping away. No matter how hard I tried, I could never reach you. Now it’s too late. I miss you.”
My grandmother's kitchen was the only place where I felt like I most belonged to my Portuguese culture. It's where the traditional food was made and where conversations and stories were shared in the mother tongue that I could never really understand. It's also the place where I feel the most regret having not made a concerted effort to embrace who we are. When my mother and grandparents landed in Canada from Portugal in the 60s, they looked forward to new experiences and opportunities. The passing of my grandparents’ and the sale of our family home where my memories began acted as a catalyst for me to reach back in order to understand who I am, and to process the grief of lost opportunities.
By way of archival photographs, collage, and symbolic references to my split Canadian and Portuguese identity, I'm investigating the intersection of my constructed identity, the acculturation of my family, and memories of my intergenerational relationships in order to reconnect with the people and culture I came from.
This work was Displayed at Maximum Exposure 2023 where it won the Smokestack exhibition award. Work was purchased by TMU’s University Advancement collection
