Secult launches book about the journey of Mestre Damasceno at the 28th Pan-Amazonian Book Fair
Work organized by Antônio Carlos Pimentel Jr. and illustrated by Mandy Modesto was presented at the opening of the Fair, this Saturday (16), at Hangar, in Belém
Mestre Damasceno, one of the honorees of the 28th Pan-Amazonian Book Fair and Multivoices, will have his journey recorded in the book "Mestre Damasceno and the Songs of Marajó." The work, organized by journalist Antônio Carlos Pimentel Jr. and illustrated by Mandy Modesto, was launched this Saturday (16), at 9 am, at the opening of the event, which runs until August 22 at Hangar, in Belém. The fair is promoted by the Government of Pará, through the State Secretariat of Culture (Secult), and operates daily from 9 am to 10 pm, with entry until 9 pm.
The project is part of a series of tributes made by Secult to the honorees of this edition. According to Antônio Carlos Pimentel Jr., the proposal was to tell the life story of the quilombola from Salvaterra, in Marajó, from childhood, through the creation of the Búfalo-Bumbá, participation in parades during the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, and his career as a composer and master of carimbó and Amazonian culture. "Text and images complement each other. They are a portrait of the simplicity and beauty that characterize the character," said the organizer.
In this administration, since 2019, Secult has launched 18 publications including the books of the honorees of the 28th edition of the Pan-Amazonian Book Fair and Multivoices.
Production of the work
The production process lasted about six months and started with the work of cultural producer, photographer, and filmmaker Guto Nunes, author of a master's thesis about the honoree. Among the accounts highlighted by Pimentel are the loss of the master's vision at the age of 19 and the period of forgetfulness in the 1990s, as well as the impact of his compositions in the Rio de Janeiro Sambadrome.
Much more than illustrations
To illustrate the book, Mandy Modesto sought a complete immersion in the life of the Master, through his music and life stories. The use of colors and textures was employed to represent the joy of his songs. "The focus was to represent how the imagination plays with Mestre Damasceno's music. The colors blend, the skirts dance, and the ribbons are like various rainbows, among the prints and flowers and the sparkle of the party," explained the illustrator. The choice was not by chance: "The illustrations are not bound to the representation of reality, because they mix with imagination and feelings. The strong tones are inspired by our Afro-Amazonian diversity," concluded the artist.
Preservation of the legacy
Mestre Damasceno stated that he considers the work a way to preserve his history and present it to new generations. "It is an honor to have orality materialized in an illustrated book, for a very important audience: children and young people. Thus, those who are yet to be born will also be able to know a little about my journey," he said. He added that he hopes readers will value and learn more about masters and mistresses of popular culture. "Always highlight them in schools, communities, universities, and everywhere they can be valued for their knowledge and practices with popular culture," he concluded.
With over 400 compositions, four albums released, and two documentaries, the master stated that his art is also a means of teaching. "I teach through my music and the popular theater of Búfalo-Bumbá, in a light way. Those who have access to this knowledge may become interested, whether by listening, watching, or reading," he declared.
Grandson of an indigenous person and descendant of a enslaved black man, Mestre Damasceno was recently recognized with the Order of Cultural Merit (OMC) in Rio de Janeiro. This is the highest public honor granted by the Ministry of Culture. With over 50 years of career, he continues to be one of the most emblematic personalities of Amazonian culture.
Text: Painah Silva - Ascom Secult
