The project is an exploration of the multifaceted life within Praça da Batalha, blending performativity and visual representation. Initiated with a survey and narrative-performing activities, stories were collected at different times, capturing the essence of daily life.
This narrative exploration transitioned into a visual study, focusing on the central fountain as a main element. This will result in a series of artful posters strategically placed around the square, coming togather stories with the visual identity of the cinema, effectively transforming the public space into a canvas that speaks to the diverse narratives and experiences of those who inhabit it.
Employing a performative approach, an experiment centered on narratives, reflection, and observation was conducted. This activity involved the collection of stories from individuals during three distinct time periods (morning, afternoon, and evening) around the central fountain in the square. The narratives were transcribed at the moment they were listened.
Continuing within the same place, the visual approach explored the representation of space from the central element, the fountain. The final outcome of this experiment consisted of a series of photographs around the fountain, arranged in a "clock" sequence, capturing the nuances of different times (morning, afternoon, evening).
Moving on to the spatial approach, a reflection on urban space as an experience and on the relationship between physical structure and its appropriation emerged. This part of the analysis documented the transformation of space in Praça da Batalha, focusing on the fountain, and highlighted differences between public and private areas, such as the contrast between the street and more cultural spaces, like the cinema. The result was a conceptual video using the idea of a timeline to document the changes around the fountain throughout the day.
Exploring the neighborhood and the surrounding cultural facilities, I embarked on an in-depth investigation to comprehend the relationship between Praça da Batalha and its occupants throughout the day. This novel approach led me to delve into research based on the book "Batalha: Retrospetiva do Futuro," focusing on the Cinema.
Beyond providing historical context, the book features images of film posters and the cinema itself over the decades, introducing a context of various timelines.
The posters exhibit a distinctive visual aesthetic reminiscent of Portuguese advertisements from the 80s and 90s, creating an intriguing contrast with the current conceptual and minimalist visual identity of Cinema Batalha, which relies on typographic elements rather than illustrations. Additionally, I discovered a photograph of an old ticket, compared to its modern digital version, adding a layer of technological evolution to this visual narrative.
During this research, I recalled Nuno Coelho's project, the book "Confiança," in which the designer reimagined labels and packaging for a soap factory. This approach of resurrecting historical visual elements served as inspiration to consider the aesthetics of the old Cinema Batalha's posters and other visual elements in the project.
Amidst this creative process, I chose to delve deeper into the initial performative approach, where my focus shifted towards understanding what people signify for that place, telling stories, and disseminating these narratives.
To be able to narrate these stories and provide them with visibility, a connection emerged between the local identity and the visual memory of the square's most iconic site, the Cinema. This point of convergence becomes the key element for the next stage of the project, where personal history intertwines with visual history.
From this intertwining, the convergence of the narrative of daily interactions in Praça da Batalha and the visual memory extracted from Cinema Batalha posters culminates in the project "Quem Habita a Praça" (Who Inhabits the Square).
With the objective of documenting and intervening, in essence: using photographs of people in the square to create posters with the old visual identity of Cinema Batalha and placing them in the square itself, practicing an intervention and artistically influencing the place to highlight the unnoticed stories.
This project aims to give voice to the diverse individuals who, unknowingly, influence the dynamics of this public space. The fountain, acting as the focal point in this revolving scenario, observes and records the stories unfolding around it. Whether it's the cinema security guard, the courier sitting on a bench, or the gentleman who chose the square as a meeting point, each person carries a unique narrative, exerting influence on public space, at the intersection of the human and the architectural.
One of the photos I took during the explorations of the location was this one, featuring an elderly gentleman.
Originally, I intended to capture the sign, but the gentleman looked over, and when I asked for permission to take his photo, he agreed.
I used these pictures as a trial for what the project will be, as they represent a person in the square, even without the full context of their story.
