Eva de Souza: Textile Experimentation as Poetic Protest

C& Latin America: Embroidery appears in your practice as both a gesture of resistance and healing. When and how did you realize that textile work could be a political and poetic path?

Eva de Souza: I studied masks in Berlin, particularly within street theater and the Commedia dell’Arte tradition. However, my primary research focus was on masks rooted in African traditions and rituals in the Recôncavo da Bahia region. These included expressions such as Zambiapunga, Nego Fugido, and the Caretas do Acupe, all present in quilombola communities in Bahia.

Within that context, I also explored the ritual garments of Babá Egum — the ancestral rite of Itaparica. In artistic and cultural terms, masks and garments go hand in hand. Embroidery, appliqués, and costume compositions complete the performance of the mask.

The work of Arthur Bispo do Rosário was a starting point for my own embroidery practice. I first encountered his work in 2009 through catalogues and documentaries, and I was fascinated by both his biography and artistic output. I began studying his work while also weaving parallels with the kind of artistic narrative I wanted to build. I realized that embroidery could offer me many benefits in terms of self-healing. I saw the potential to address social wounds through gestures of tenderness, regard, and care. I wanted to engage with difficult themes — but I realized I had to heal myself first.

I soon understood that the work I had been doing with masks — particularly the use of color and texture — could be translated into embroidered panels. My images are constructed in layers, much like masks. The simplicity of this technique also brings me closer to people who have experienced this kind of violence.

That’s how my first series of embroidered panels came to life, addressing themes such as abandonment, police brutality, invisibility, and erasure — always centering a Black woman in the narrative.

C&AL: Your work often invites audiences into participation and deep listening. How do you perceive the impact of these shared experiences? In what ways do they shape the continuity or transformation of a piece?

ES: I believe my personality naturally lends itself to a participatory and collaborative approach — something I call the art of encounter. I create spaces of exchange and invite others to bring their own experiences into the process. In doing so, we build something together.

In competitive, meritocratic societies — like Switzerland, or more broadly, the capitalist West — these moments of encounter can be quietly transformative. Even if the shifts are subtle, they’re meaningful. Concepts like collectivity may no longer be in vogue, but these shared experiences foster a change in spirit. They create spaces of safety, presence, and care. Art has the power to make that possible. And that’s what I offer as art.

C&AL: What are the challenges and possibilities of maintaining a transnational artistic practice between the Global South and the European center? Is there something you hope to build from this crossing in the years ahead?

ES: Thank you for that question. I couldn’t answer without first acknowledging that my desire to weave these connections relies on collaborations and platforms like Contemporary And, and on allies like you.

One of the projects I’m currently developing is focused on returning these experiences to their roots — specifically, bringing the art of encounter to Black women in Bahia who have experienced violence. We hope to co-create an artistic and political manifesto grounded in our collective visions for the future.

This project is still in progress and depends on international partnerships, as it brings an interdisciplinary lens to political and deeply personal issues that go beyond the boundaries of art. I’m building this work in collaboration with Odara — a Black feminist center in Salvador that supports women and families affected by structural violence.

Together, we are dreaming up and weaving multiple artistic languages to tell our stories — and to share them with international audiences. The project envisions exhibitions both in Bern and in Salvador.

Translation: Jess Oliveira

Gabriel Reis: Curator, lawyer, and cultural manager. He holds a Master’s degree in Filosofia do Estado [Political Philosophy] from UFMG and has served as associate curator at the Museu Bispo do Rosário Arte Contemporânea. He currently sits on the Conselho Jurídico do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes [Legal Council of the National Museum of Fine Arts]. His research focuses on the intersections between art, politics, and state formation.

Eva de Souza has exhibited in Brazil, Germany, and Switzerland. Her sociopolitical works, marked by an expressive formal language and challenging content, stem from a deep personal commitment. Alongside her artistic practice, she carries out emancipatory art education projects for children and adults, encouraging performative and visual expression, and valuing form and process equally.