In Jericoacoara, a small fishing village, located in north-eastern Brazil, I spotted these two locals practising their Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music. It was created by enslaved Africans in Brazil in the 16th century and is known for complex, flowing movements involving handstands and inverted kicks. The dance and music elements were used as a ploy to disguise the fact that the performers were practising fighting techniques.
I used broad dynamic brush strokes to help depict the movement of the capoeiristas. The painting aims to capture the joy of this celebrated martial art which has now been granted protected status as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
){kind=link}