Braid
the
World
LISBON, 2022
Braid the World emerged from an encounter with four Afro-descendant hairdressers from the Intendente area, whose portraits are displayed on this wall.
The series begins in Martim Moniz, follows along Almirante Reis, and ends in what was once called Bairro das Colónias, now renamed Bairro das Novas Nações. The project was inspired by a moment during the photographic process when Carol, one of the hairdressers, remarked, “I’ve never braided so much of the world as I have this week.” This phrase captured the essence of the work and became its title.
Beyond its documentary nature, this project also has a social intent. It was developed in collaboration with the Afro community of Intendente, a neighborhood that for many years was marginalized within the city of Lisbon. Today, Intendente is increasingly occupied and gentrified, a process that is gradually pushing out the very communities that once shaped its identity.
Over time, it became evident that the act of braiding connected people from diverse backgrounds. Hair from individuals representing more than eleven countries—mostly former colonies—was braided within these spaces. The process itself is intricate and can take up to nine hours. Research into the cultural significance of braiding revealed its historical role in resistance: enslaved Afro-Colombians used braids to design escape maps and hide seeds as a survival strategy. Similarly, capoeira served as a martial art that allowed Afro-Brazilians to evade colonial surveillance.
These histories, often overlooked, challenge the dominant Eurocentric narrative. Grada Kilomba, in her book Plantation Memories, outlines the stages of racism as denial, guilt, shame, recognition, and reparation. This framework informed the project’s perspective, acknowledging the complexities of historical memory and the weight of representation.
By documenting these practices, the series seeks to highlight both their cultural significance and their enduring legacy. The images serve as a record of tradition, resilience, and identity, connecting past and present through the art of braiding, while also reflecting on the shifting social landscape of Intendente.
The series begins in Martim Moniz, follows along Almirante Reis, and ends in what was once called Bairro das Colónias, now renamed Bairro das Novas Nações. The project was inspired by a moment during the photographic process when Carol, one of the hairdressers, remarked, “I’ve never braided so much of the world as I have this week.” This phrase captured the essence of the work and became its title.
Beyond its documentary nature, this project also has a social intent. It was developed in collaboration with the Afro community of Intendente, a neighborhood that for many years was marginalized within the city of Lisbon. Today, Intendente is increasingly occupied and gentrified, a process that is gradually pushing out the very communities that once shaped its identity.
Over time, it became evident that the act of braiding connected people from diverse backgrounds. Hair from individuals representing more than eleven countries—mostly former colonies—was braided within these spaces. The process itself is intricate and can take up to nine hours. Research into the cultural significance of braiding revealed its historical role in resistance: enslaved Afro-Colombians used braids to design escape maps and hide seeds as a survival strategy. Similarly, capoeira served as a martial art that allowed Afro-Brazilians to evade colonial surveillance.
These histories, often overlooked, challenge the dominant Eurocentric narrative. Grada Kilomba, in her book Plantation Memories, outlines the stages of racism as denial, guilt, shame, recognition, and reparation. This framework informed the project’s perspective, acknowledging the complexities of historical memory and the weight of representation.
By documenting these practices, the series seeks to highlight both their cultural significance and their enduring legacy. The images serve as a record of tradition, resilience, and identity, connecting past and present through the art of braiding, while also reflecting on the shifting social landscape of Intendente.
Trançar o Mundo
Pauliana Valente Pimentel
Patrícia Craveiro Lopes
Patrícia Craveiro Lopes
Maria Abranches
Pauliana Valente Pimentel
Maria Abranches
Luna Andrade
Casa Independente