TOMA!
2020
Broken jug, kitchen paper and wooden board.
Dimensions variable
‘Zé Povinho’ is a satirical character of social criticism, created by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro and adopted as a Portuguese national personification. Bordalo Pinheiro himself defined the character:
- ‘Zé Povinho’ looks at one side and the other and… it stays as usual ... the same ”.
However, despite relatively simple, he is a figure full of contradictions:
- “But if he is patient, credulous, submissive, humble, meek, apathetic, indifferent, abulic, skeptical,
suspicious, disbelieving and lonely, it also appears for us, in constant contradiction with itself, simultaneously capable of showing itself incredulous, disgusted, grumpy, insolent, furious, sensitive, compassionate, aloof, active, supportive, coexistent ... "
The main characteristic of the character is the gesture “manguito” * (O Toma!), representing its facet of revolt and insolence.
In this case the piece (which was a jug) was not a Zé Povinho, but a Woman, a mermaid, with her mysteries and charms, making the same gesture as Zé, the “manguito” (O Toma!) while covering one of her breasts and leaving the other uncovered. You can read, inscribed in the piece, “Queres fazer amor? Toma!” or in English “Do you want to make love? Fuck off! ”
* man · gui · to
[Informal] Gesture performed with both arms, crossing one over the other, keeping one of them upright, and which serves to offend someone.
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