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The book I have choosen is not my favourite book because I do not have one. Every book I have read since childhood has taken my time and occupied its place, even if nowadays I do not recall all of them. Nevertheless, the epic poem “Paradise Lost”, by John Milton, that I hold in the excellent translation by Fernando da Costa Soares e Raul Domingos Mateus da Silva, stands out for it is a mural on which one can always be sure of finding new images, ravishing in their deep meaning.

Adam and Eve’s disobedience and fall from grace, founding narrative in the jewish-christian civilization, can be seen among a fascinating set of symbols that, as far as I am concerned, will never be completely unveiled.

O livro que escolhi não é o meu livro favorito, porque não tenho um. Todos os que li desde a infância tomaram o meu tempo e ocuparam o seu lugar, mesmo que hoje não os recorde.
No entanto, o poema épico “Paraíso Perdido”, de John Milton, que aqui trago na excelente tradução de Fernando da Costa Soares e Raul Domingos Mateus da Silva, destaca-se por ser um mural para que se pode olhar sempre na certeza de encontrar imagens novas, deslumbrantes no seu significado profundo.

A desobediência de Adão e Eva e a sua queda em desgraça, narrativa fundadora da civilização judaico-cristã, aparece rodeada de todo um fascinante conjunto de símbolos que, para mim, nunca estará integralmente desvendado.

Ana Roque – October 5, 2011



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The books that most influenced me were the ones I read as a child and a young adult. They have shaped me as a person and as a citizen, and provided me with the values I live by today. Germinal is the exception. I’ve read it about two years ago, in a fabulous uncredited translation, and felt transported do the mines, I felt the filthiness, the pain, the hunger, the anger and the hatred. Zola wrote, in 1885, a photographic book, where no character is embellished. The message I got is still valid for today, maybe particularly valid for today: poverty never begets anything good or beautiful – it only begets more poverty.

Os livros que mais me influenciaram foram os que li na infância e na juventude. Foram eles que me formaram como pessoa e como cidadã, e que me transmitiram os valores por que me guio até hoje. Germinal é a exceção. Li-o há cerca de dois anos, numa fabulosa tradução não assinada, e senti-me transportada para as minas, senti a sujidade, a dor, a fome, a raiva e o ódio. Zola escreveu, em 1885, um livro fotográfico, em que não há personagens embelezadas. A mensagem que me ficou aplica-se ainda hoje, talvez especialmente hoje: a pobreza nunca gera nada de bom nem de belo – gera apenas mais pobreza.

Ana Saragoça – Sep 2, 2011


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“Alice in Wonderland” is part of my childhood, adolescence and adulthood. I’ve always had a strong imagination, I dream that I shrink, I dream that I grow, and I always wanted  that everything was different from the previous day. I always wanted to fly and live in a world where nothing made sense and where there was no need to justify all my actions. Just like Alice I like to eat and drink out of curiosity, and one day I ate too many cakes and the Rabbit Hole was too small, and as I lacked magical drinks in real life I was swallowed by a larger hole and became adept at lists of Getting Things Done and. .. a responsible person. However, it is still in chaos that I find more sense. The more chaotic and meaningless scenario, the more enthusiastic I feel.

O Livro “Alice no País das Maravilhas” faz parte da minha infância, adolescência e vida adulta. Sempre tive imaginação fértil, sonho que encolho, sonho que aumento de tamanho,  e sempre quis que nada fosse igual ao dia anterior. Sempre ambicionei voar ou viver num mundo onde nada fizesse sentido e principalmente onde não necessitasse de justificar todos os meus actos. Como Alice gosto de comer e beber por curiosidade, um dia comi demasiados bolos e a Toca do Coelho foi pequena demais e à falta de bebidas mágicas na vida real fui engolida por um buraco maior e tornei-me adepta de listas, de Getting Things Done e… responsável. No entanto, ainda é no caos que me oriento melhor. Quanto mais caótico e sem sentido o cenário, mais entusiasmada me sinto.

Patrícia Rosa – Jul 26, 2011

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Bhagavad-Gita is a book that accompanies me since the days of college

by Mário Pires 22.06.2011 Book Loving Girls

Bhagavad-Gita is a book that accompanies me since the days of college, namely from classes and lectures by Professor Carlos Silva. This is not an academic text. It is a piece of life. Of many lives. A spiritual journey, told in dialogue, through parables. The being takes the form of poetry and truth flows from its [...]

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This book is about love or the lack of it in life

by Mário Pires 17.06.2011 Book Loving Girls

This book is about love or the lack of it in life.All kinds of love, self love, love of family, love of neighbor.I was impressed by the detachment and the growing unhappiness.It takes place in India, London and Mozambique, and tells the story of a father and a son, of their evolution  and growth as [...]

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The iphone as a portrait device II

by Mário Pires 30.05.2011 Art

On the previous post, i talked about the genesis of this portrait series, but after the general theme i needed to narrow it down further, and decide who to photograph and where to find them. The gender issue was clear to me, i’ve always loved photos of woman smoking, so that choice was easy. But i [...]

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The iphone as a portrait device I

by Mário Pires 25.05.2011 Art

Having left my Lumix in the closet, and relaying almost exclusively on the iPhone for all my photo needs, i wanted to put myself and the iPhone to the test. Thinking about possible challenges, i remembered that i never did a portrait session. Portraits are a bit vague, how could i make a series that [...]

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