Toomas Theloff

This was my first time doing an artist residency. I had many questions on my mind and they needed to be answered. The aim of this project was to try to comprehend the personal essence of an artist residency program. To do this, I mapped the history and events of Nodar by creating a narrative from the meetings and interviews with the local people and by investigating the documented history of the Nodar Artist Residency Center. To perceive the fruitful characteristics of a subject, it is wise to examine it from many different perspectives. If we consider a space to be a vocabulary then we also need tools of common language to share the experience. For this reason I wanted to under go the collective experience of Nodar through the eyes and ears of an ordinary villager. In a small community it is important for an organization to be aware of its impact on the community. One way to learn this is by examining the myths and stories people hold on them. In a way, my work is the manifestation of the process of the free associations initiated by the Nodar Artist Residencies in the local community. The collected material was mixed with the (f) actual documents and archive materials of Nodar. The fact is fiction. Which time period has been the most memorable? –The days when I was a young boy. Youth was very different then.

For instance, when there was a local dance party, the event would end at 9 p.m.. Now, at that hour, things haven’t even started. Now parents support the young people. I started to work when I was 12 years old. (João Almeida Gomes (47 years old). From Pinheiro (Quinta da Mata). Works in construction and lives in Parada de Ester) –When I was 18 and was running after the girls! In my time there were 16 girls my age. Now there are almost none.

They all go away. (Eduardo Penedo, 81 years. Retired. Lives in Sequeiros) –I remember the time when I was younger and I would sing and danced with the traditional dance group (“rancho”). That group gave a lot of joy to the population. Then I got married. I could not find work, and went to Switzerland.(Donzília Cipriano, 49 years. Works at “Flor do Campo” cafe and grocery store, Sequeiros).

How would you describe the present moment, in terms of the life quality (diligence,employment rate, in come, collective activities, time spent incommunal activities, etc.)?

–There is no trust. People seem to be up set with each other. They think mostly about money. People live well in the village. The problem is that there are less and less people. There is still some work, especially in construction. People don’t get together, except for football matches. (José Pinto, Parada de Ester).

–It is OK. But, as in any other village, there are always some black sheep.People who just came into this world to annoy others, and others who were born to suffer. There are opportunities here. For instance we have a doctor who comes everyday to the local Health Center. We have a bakery, a pharmacy, a restaurant. Before the Euro things were better. (João Almeida Gomes (47 years old). From Pinheiro (Quinta da Mata). Works in construction and lives in Parada de Ester).

–Before things were worse and better at the same time. Things were more difficult but we were young. Now old people have pensions and we can live better of. For younger people things are not so good. They go away to study and to find jobs and never come back. (Eduardo Penedo, 81 years. Retired. Lives in Sequeiros).

What is the main thing that keeps the village alive?

–The old people are the ones who keep the village alive. I hope I am wrong, but in 10 years time, the village will have half the people it has now. (Mário de Almeida Monteiro (34 years old). Metal worker., Parada de Ester).

–Before everybody was poorer but happier. Now, it’s the fact that people get together. (José Paiva Ribeiro (64 years old). Retired).

When was the last time you had a meeting with the villagers?

–Some days ago at a meeting about the local community land and forest.There are some personal problems in the village because of the water to the lands. Probably it’s the younger ones that can overcome the situation. (José Pinto, Parada de Ester).

What do you think of the kind of influence that Binaural/Nodar has on the village (life)?

–We have heard some information about it, but we don’t always understand what it means. Those art activities are important.(Mário de Almeida Monteiro (34 years old).Metal worker).

What kind of meaning does Binaural/Nodar hold for you?

–For the time being, it doesn’t mean anything. I see the posters here, but I never went there (lack of time or I forgot). (Mário de Almeida Monteiro (34years old). Metal worker).

Do you attend the presentations of artists work?

–Once I saw a presentation. A kind of a movie. It was not bad, but people in the villages sometimes fear talking, because they may think it is for something else. (João Almeida Gomes (47 years old). From Pinheiro (Quinta da Mata).Works in construction and lives in Parada de Ester).

–Yes, I was at one of the events where one of the artists prepared a dish; bought the ingredients at the local market, and offered it to the people of Parada de Esterto taste. (Sónia Barbosa (26 years old). She works at “Bem Estar” restaurant).

–Yes. I also participated in one of the projects, when an artist asked meto hold two lambs in my arms for her to take a picture. (Donzília Cipriano, 49years. Works at “Flor do Campo” cafe and grocery store, Sequeiros).

How could you benefit the most from Binaural/Nodar?

–If they did presentations here in Parada de Ester, I would be more inclined to attend them. (José Pinto, Parada de Ester).

–Perhaps if they could hold some activities here in Sequeiros, and also if they could create jobs for people in the region. (Donzília Cipriano, 49 years. Works at “Flor do Campo” cafe and grocery store, Sequeiros).

What would be different from the present if there were ten artists/cultural activists living in Nodar?

–Probably it would be good. Maybe they could organize things more often,not just one weekend. More people would come from outside to know the village. (Mário de Almeida Monteiro (34 years old). Metal worker).

–If there was an event every week I would go there. I wouldn’t mind paying 5 or 10 Euros for that. Others wouldn’t pay. They are very attached to money. (José Paiva Ribeiro (64 years old). Retired).

When did it first strike you that there is a house in Nodar full of “strange people”/artists?

–When they started, they came immediately to talk to us (the Sequeiros Community Association) to see if we could work together. (Donzília Cipriano,49 years. Works at “Flor do Campo” cafe and grocery store, Sequeiros).

Which activities would you like to see more often?

–Music, soap operas, theater. (João Almeida Gomes (47 years old). From Pinheiro (Quinta da Mata). Works in construction and lives in Parada de Ester).

–Activities especially for children. After the Sunday Mass the kids don’t have anything to do. Just TV or going for a walk with the parents. (Mário de Almeida Monteiro (34 years old). Metal worker).

–Cultural activities. Clowns and all those things. (José Paiva Ribeiro (64 years old). Retired).

–Maybe preparing dishes from other countries, so that we can get to know different things.(Sónia Barbosa (26 years old). She works at “Bem Estar” restaurant).

What do you expect from the artists?

–I don’t know these artists, so I cannot expect anything. People need more than bread to live. (João Almeida Gomes (47 years old). From Pinheiro (Quintada Mata). Works in construction and lives in Parada de Ester).

–That they can bring new things. They can teach us something. (Mário deAlmeida Monteiro (34 years old). Metal worker).

Has Binaural/Nodar opened a new perspective of everyday life?

–They can help to develop these villages… tourism related. I only think about tourism regarding this. (José Pinto, Parada de Ester).

Do you think that Binaural/Nodar is a tourist oriented/touristy organization?

–Yes. They should explore more the tourist side of the region. We have beautiful landscapes, with the mountains and the rivers. (Donzília Cipriano, 49 years. Works at “Flor do Campo” cafe and grocery store, Sequeiros).

Do you see Nodar as an area for development of rural tourism?

–A painter or other artist that can be seated near the river; that silence has all the conditions for artistic creation. (Mário de Almeida Monteiro (34 years old).Metal worker)

What is it that makes Nodar (this area in general) attractive for visitors/tourists/artists?

–It is a beautiful region. People are tired of the cities. There are mountains,old houses, the Paiva River. (Sónia Barbosa (26 years old). She works at “Bem Estar” restaurant).

–The mountains in bloom, the old villages. We don’t find it so special because we were raised here but people from the city really like it. (Eduardo Penedo, 81 years. Retired. Lives in Sequeiros).

Do you have any questions which you would like to ask from an Estonian villager?

–Is it beautiful over there? Are there good living conditions? Is the cost of living higher or lower than Portugal? Do they like it here? Do they like our food? (Sónia Barbosa (26 years old). She works at “Bem Estar” restaurant).

Toomas Thetloff is an Estonian interdisciplinary artist working in the fields of photography, sound,installation, performance and video.Since 2005 he has been running several performance-actions in cooperation with “Art Security” and EKSP. He is also a coordinator for an experimental project space “p.o.t.t.” and a member of MoKS.