It was after the adoption of the dog Jack, in 2018, that the interest in photography increased even more for Lúcia Helena, from Minas Gerais, who has lived in Florianópolis since 2009. She says that she adopted the pet at the Animal Welfare Board of Florianópolis (Dibea) and did not know that he had a chronic illness, which, according to her, would not be an obstacle to adoption.
Lucia remembers that the last time she almost lost Jack, after being hospitalized due to illness, the first creations were born. “With his pain and difficulty getting around, I learned to have a more sensitive look at his surroundings, and coincidentally, at the same time, I had resumed the Professional Qualification Course in Photography at the Creative Camera. Then I decided to go beyond the photographic record and use my photographs added to the photographs of the image banks to create a fantastic universe for the two of us, since he was no longer able to take the long walks he used to”, he shares.
And now, four years later, Jack is still with Lúcia and is one of the “models” of the photographic exhibition “Breaking Fantastic Universes”, which can be visited for free at the Botanical Garden, in Florianópolis.
“This universe expanded and I started to create scenarios, fantastic worlds, possible places in a hitherto imaginary world. I perfected my listening and observation because the creation of an image is full of meanings and possibilities. And the result of this work is gathered in the exhibition”, highlights Lúcia Helena.
In addition to Jack, Luz Maria, who is deaf and 50% blind, Fubá Antônio and Sol, can be seen in universes created by the photographer.
inspirations
Although the Master in Theory and History of Visual Arts by the Graduate Program in Visual Arts at the State University of Santa Catarina (PPGAV/UDESC), has taken a path far from writing and reading works, the references she had to over the years were important for the creation of fantastic universes.
So much so that authors such as JRR Tolkien and Mia Couto, The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint Exupéry, Sofia’s World, by Jostein Gaarder, and The Boy with the Green Finger, by Maurice Druon, as well as the film Avatar, are sources of inspiration. for the photographer.
“The works of my mentor, Rafael Falconi, are also references for me. And, of course, the gardens. In a recent conversation, I was asked what was latent in me from my childhood to bring to the works and I can answer with certainty that the garden at my grandparents’ house and so many other gardens that made me smile”, he says.
The will to create a universe of her own, a space in which elements seemingly impossible to coexist could connect in a real way and create meanings, served as the basis for Lúcia Helena’s work. They are born between the dialogue of photography, recorded by her, with matte painting, which is a digital illustration technique with which scenarios and landscapes are created.
“When doing the pet test, it is necessary to plan the creation that will come later. Thinking about the light, the perspective, the positioning of the camera and reliving all of this in the image bank so that the fusions can become real”, says the photographer who uses Photoshop to create the images.
The exposure
“Breaking Fantastic Universes”, which can be visited for free at the Botanical Garden, until January 31, 2023, features six creations and an interactive work. Lúcia explains that a cover was placed in the space of the interactive work, produced by Anna Paula from Porto Lúdico Brinquedos, which helps build the child’s imagination to enter the fantastic universe of creation. In addition, it has a tatami mat with cushions to encourage the spectators’ observation and perception.
“It’s a playful space where children can have fun and adults can reconnect with their inner child”, he points out.
The visit can be made from Tuesday to Sunday, from 7 am to 6 pm, at the Botanical Garden of Florianópolis, which is located at Rodovia Admar Gonzaga, 742, in the Itacorubi neighborhood, in Florianópolis.
Service:
Photographic exhibition “Breaking Fantastic Universes, by Lúcia Helena”
- Data: until January 31, 2023
- Schedule: 7am to 6pm, Tuesday to Sunday
- Local: Florianópolis Botanical Garden (Rodovia Admar Gonzaga, 742, Itacorubi, Florianópolis/SC)
- Prohibited free
