Anna Nunes

Till today, the echoes of colonization saturate relationships and manifest itself in gender inequality, expressed in the inferior position of women. While women's realities have improved, the concerns of daily security, equal profit and participation in the shaping of society remain a global challenge. However, through play and imagination, children distance themselves from imposed narratives and create their own stories. In São Tomé today, it’s a frequent sight to see boys across the island playing with their self-made tabua (wooden bodyboards), not only demonstrating their creativity but also offering new ideas and interactions that support the development of the social imagination. To stimulate creativity and in an attempt to contribute to new social imaginaries that favour greater gender equality, Nunes facilitated a space where boys engage girls in typical boys' games, such as the tábua (bodyboard game). By creating space for mixed-gender play, Nunes embraces the unifying power of games, promotes play as a tool for reflection and valorises the role of children in creating a more equitable society. In her drawings, she expresses the colonial heritage in the present reality of girls and women. In large-scale oil paintings, film and in bronze, she composes an alternative (future) vision. She shows dreamlike visions of girls in typical boy activities, seemingly in their element. Minimalistic bronze figures and monochrome images that surface on natural linen, as if appearing from a foggy future. The silent film fragments and the subdued, simple compositions with the monochromatic girls, lend an esoteric dimension to her visions. During the X Biennial of São Tomé and Principe, À (re)Descoberta de NÓS (Rediscovering Ourselves), Nunes combines two of her own paintings with a Santomean tabua crafted by the generation that initiated this form of play. During her project O mundo imaginário for the first time, girls were involved in the local game. The tabua symbolises the resurgence of social imageries in São Tomé and represents a movement towards gender equality. The paintings envision a possible future. Collectively, the installation reflects on the colonial past, its impact on gender issues and proposes new perspectives for the future.

Tabua by Derley Camble, part of the installation O mundo imaginario.