Chapter One: The Arrival

This film is a reimagination of the sea travels during the Portuguese expansion.
Black burnt engine oil creates abstract images and symbolic elements such as stars, sails and sand tell a story of sea crossing and land usurpation. The sea, the night skies’ somber landscapes and the subtle movements of the clouds and waves translate the passage of time and the growing expectation of the arrival.
“Chapter One: The Arrival” is a reflection on history. An attempt to grasp the turn of events that created momentum for history to be shaped. The importance of revisiting the past, as if we could change it, and rewrite the narrative of the “heroes” and riches that defined an era.
The use of black burnt engine oil connects the voyage to the present day. This liquid embodies today’s Capitalism, greed and exploration of natural resources, and it reminds us that the colonial project still prevails.