The Ismália’s Tower Amidst the Gaps of Time

An Occupation of the Ruins of the Church of Nossa Senhora de Belém

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47456/col.v16i27.52400

Keywords:

ruins; Ismália; photo-performance; stilts; Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem (Igreja Nossa Senhora de Belém)

Abstract

This visual essay presents the photo-performance titled “Ismália’s Tower Amidst the Gaps of Time.” The work juxtaposes symbolic elements from the poem *Ismália* (Guimarães, 1963) with the crumbling ruins of the Church of Nossa Senhora de Belém in Viana, Espírito Santo. The occupation of the ruins emerges as a potential path for fostering new imaginaries, inviting the audience to perceive the metaphors and analogies established through this symbolic juxtaposition.

Author Biographies

  • Sarah Rodrigues Damiani, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Doctoral Program in Arts

    Artist-Educator. PhD candidate in the Graduate Program in Arts at the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES). Master of Arts (UFES/2025); Specialization in Art Education (Faculdade de Vitória/2017); Licentiate degree in Performing Arts (UVV/2017); Licentiate degree in Pedagogy (in progress). Researcher with the Creativity, Education, and Art Extension and Research Group (GEPCEAr). Treasurer of the Brazilian Association of Creativity and Innovation (Criabrasilis). Currently investigates creative processes in the arts and education; works as a storyteller, stilt walker, and theater teacher for children.

  • Stela Maris Sanmartin, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Postgraduate Program in Arts

    Postdoctoral researcher in Developmental and School Psychology (2022) from the Graduate Program in Developmental Processes and Education (PGPDE) at the University of Brasília. Holds a PhD in Education from USP, supervised by Prof. Dr. Rosa Iavelberg (2013), and a Master’s degree in Arts from Unicamp, supervised by Prof. Dr. Ernesto Giovanni Bocara (2004). Coordinated the Graduate Program in Arts (PPGA/UFES) from 2024 to 2025. In December 2025, she was seconded to the National Institute of Museums (IBRAM) to work in the Education Department of the Lasar Segall Museum in São Paulo.

References

BACHELARD, Gaston. O Ar e os Sonhos: Ensaio sobre a imaginação do movimento. São Paulo: Martins fontes, 2001.

DALAVA, Lucas. Ismália e suas representações na pintura, na televisão e na música. Revista do Centro de Estudos Portugueses, [s. l.], v. 44, ed. 71, p. 105-123, 2024.

EMICIDA. Ismália (feat. Larissa Luz e Fernanda Montenegro). Sony Music: 2019. CD (48min47s).

ESPÍRITO SANTO. Arquitetura. Vitória. Secretaria de Estado da Cultura, Conselho Estadual de Cultura, 2009. Disponível em: https://secult.es.gov.br/Media/secult/EDITAIS/102-Documento-1436796643-100-Documento-1436454022-56-Documento-1427918086-atlas-patrimonio%20(1).pdf. Acesso em: 15 mar. 2026.

GUIMARÃES, Alphonsus. Poesias, 2. ed. Rio de Janeiro: Agir, 1963.

OLIVEIRA, Joana. Prefácio: Um encontro com O cogumelo no fim do mundo. In: TSING, Anna. O cogumelo no fim do mundo: Sobre a possibilidade de vida nas ruínas do capitalismo. São Paulo: N-1 edições, 2015.

TSING, Anna. O cogumelo no fim do mundo: Sobre a possibilidade de vida nas ruínas do capitalismo. São Paulo: N-1 edições, 2015.

TSING, Anna. Paisagens arruinadas: e a delicada arte de coletar cogumelos. Cadernos do Lepaarq, v. XV, n. 30, p. 266-382, 2018.

Capa da edição 27 com logo da revista em branco na parte de cima e referência completa em letras pequenas brancas logo abaixo do logo. A imagem de fundo, que toma toda a capa, mostra duas mãos de uma senhora indígena amassando folhas bem verdes em uma tigela de água. A fotografia é muito aproximada e mostra detalhes da pele. Na parte inferior da capa, os créditos da imagem para Paola Tamara Videa Aramayo.

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Published

2026-06-26

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 27 (2026)

Section

Visual essays

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Sarah Rodrigues Damiani, Stela Maris Sanmartin

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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How to Cite

DAMIANI, S. R.; SANMARTIN, S. M. The Ismália’s Tower Amidst the Gaps of Time: An Occupation of the Ruins of the Church of Nossa Senhora de Belém. Revista do Colóquio, v. 16, n. 27, p. 192–204, 26 Jun.2026.