Encontros da Imagem

Quando saíres, deixa a luz acesa

CAAA – Centro para os Assuntos da Arte e Artquitetura

Tuesday→Friday: 2pm–7pm
Saturday: 3pm–7pm

Joana Matos' work plunges into the depths of female mourning, a topic often shrouded in silence and shame. Through an intimate approach and a distinctive sensitivity, the author brings to the surface this often-hidden aspect. She challenges social stigmas and empowers women to claim their right to mourn, cry for their loss and socialise their pain and emotions.

This visual diary delves into the taboos of the emotional states that are triggered after gestational loss, intertwining with a love story that spanned for 15 years, only to face the painful rupture of divorce. Through hindsight, we witness the protagonist's unwavering inner strength as she navigates the complex landscape of love, loss, and poetic longing for a baby she never had the opportunity to meet. Amidst the desolation, she confronts emotions often ignored: mourning, emptiness, and loneliness.

‘Quando saíres, deixa a luz acesa’ is a testimony to the resilience of the female spirit. Through the images that weave two narratives, it unravels lovelessness and grief almost as a single entity, which allows the author to take on the loss(es) and honour the memory while navigating the complexities of relationships (partner and gestation) that overlap with masterful harmony.

Each projected image is a window that transforms the viewer into an unwitting voyeur, who penetrates the interstices of intimacy to witness moments of vulnerability and strength with equal intensity.

The exhibition transcends the individual, becoming a universal narrative about the healing power of art, and the importance of emotions and care. A diary that is simultaneously a sanctuary, a screen for emotions and a means of validating pain.

Joana Matos

Joana Matos (Gondomar, 1989)

Joana is a passionate artist and photographer driven by a deep connection to the visual arts and an innate desire to explore the deep emotions that shape the human experience. Her training began in artistic production, specializing in textiles, at the Soares dos Reis Artistic School. Through this journey, Joana developed a unique sensitivity to textures, colors and shapes, which later reflected in a unique way in her work. Joana studied photography in CINDOR in Gondomar e at the moment is a student at Master in Artistic Photography in IPCI. She is a product photographer at Farfetch, where she stands out for her unique combination of technical precision and artistic expression. Joana’s artistic interests and passions transcend photography, also embracing dance, poetry and the visual arts. Which are sources of inspiration and play a key role in his works. As does the work of artists such as Helena Almeida, Francesca Woodman, Alec Soth, Robbie Lawrence e Rinko Kawauchi, whose work resonates with its exploration of personal expression and human connection.

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