Award 19: Echoes Of The Amazon

Echoes Of The Amazon was an alternative Christmas window display on busy Marylebone Road showing film created with Amazonian artists.

Creative studio SDNA founded by Valentina Floris and Ben Foot projected two of their films Casa Comum and Belém into the windows of the Bomb Factory Foundation on Marylebone Road. Instead of a Christmas display shoppers and passersby saw these incredible films which ask us all to consider how our actions impact the Amazon. Our support extended the run of this work so it could happen throughout the busy festive period.

Manifesto From Belém

Is collaboration with artists from the Amazon basin in Brazil: visual artist Moara Tupinambá @moaratupinamba, cinematographer Fernanda Brito Gaia @fernandabritogaia, composer Nelson D. @nelsondofficial, and creative studio @sdna.tv 

The collaboration began online and later transitioned to an in-person partnership in Belém, the capital of Pará in northern Brazil. Together, the team created a compelling video manifesto and a site-specific projection addressing the theme of “Environment and Climate Crisis,” which were showcased at the 19th edition of the Se Rasgum Festival.

The project delved into the critical tension between urban expansion and the forest, exploring how the spread  of cities threatens the existence of communities living at the intersection of these two worlds. It also highlighted the efforts of activists whose vital work pushes back against this process.

This project was supported by the British Council’s Circular Culture programme.

Casa Comum 

An international artistic collaboration inspired by the words of indigenous leader Ailton Krenak, who talked about how not only the indigenous people, but the whole of humanity, should treat the terrestrial globe as a common home for all living beings.

The project began in 2021 with the support of the Digital Collaboration Fund from the British Council as a collaboration between 12 Amazonian artists, RR Produções Artísticas in Brazil and SDNA in London. Since then artworks have been exhibited at Brixton Village for Casa Festival, the Pipe Factory for Cop26, Festival Amazônia Mapping, Mimo Festival in Porto, Rio de Janeiro and in various urban locations around East London and now the Bomb Factory!

Check out the artists that make up CASA COMUM:

Amazonian Artists:

Alcemar Vieira Sateré

⁠André Sateré @andresateremawe

⁠Elizete Tikuna

Jaqueline Santos @jaquelinearte

⁠Jayne Kira @jaynekira

⁠Rafa Militão @rafaamilitao

⁠Rafael Bqueer @rafaelbqueer

⁠Roberta Carvalho @robertacarvalhooo

⁠Uýra @uyrasodoma

⁠Valda Sateré @valda_satere

⁠Verlene Mesquita @verlenevfm

⁠Wellington Dias @wellington_dias

Filmmakers:

Takumã Kuikuro @tk_kuima.official

⁠Rafael Ramos @rafalleo.rs

Sound artist: Daniel Castanheira @dcastanheira

Sound collaboration: Bruno Qual @brunoqual

Lighting designer: Paulo Denizot @paulodenizot

Assistant director & editor BR Breno Buswell @brenobuswell

Artistic co-direction: Cachalote Mattos @cachalotemattos

Concept co-creation and video design: digital studio SDNA @sdna.tv Ben Foot @foot.ben & Valentina Floris @valentina_sdna

Artistic Direction & Curation: Renato Rocha @rrenatorrocha

Casa Comum is supported by British Council @britishcouncil

You can watch the film here

We're really proud to have helped this work reach more audiences. We hope you enjoy checking out the work of these artists and activists too. What can you do this year to actively support protecting the Amazon?