National Water Day is going to be celebrated in Odiáxere with a dynamic cultural programme on 1 and 2 October.
The underground Almádena-Odiáxere aquifer, with its extensive storage capacity, is under heavy pressure due to the scarcity of rainfall, land occupation, and high water consumption. The construction of the Bravura dam, which in the 1950s made the parish grow economically and transformed it into an irrigated landscape, is the same dam that is now leaving it in crisis, as it reaches historic lows in water levels, conditioning its future development.
National Water Day has been celebrated on 1 October since 1983 because this is the time when water reserves reach their lowest available levels. To bring attention to this problem, the Lagos Museum, through its ‘Rural World’ museum centre, will fill Odiáxere with artistic, creative, and critical life through the intervention of a collective of national and international artists led by the artist Paulina Almeida.
Between 24 September and 2 October, Portuguese performer Paulina Almeida, French dancer Ophélie Parot, Dutch multimedia artist Marieke Leene, Romanian eco-performer Alina Tofan and Dutch musician Simon Stuij will be in artistic residence in the village of Odiáxere, working with and involving different audiences, including the Odiáxere school community. Over the course of nine days, the school and public spaces of Odiáxere will be transformed into an authentic community laboratory, where water, climate change, territorial recognition and the transformation of the landscape will be at the centre of the artistic interventions.
The collective work will be presented publicly on 1 October, with installations in the town’s various public spaces from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The presentation will end with an unprecedented vertical dance show at the Barragem da Bravura in the parish of Bensafrim.
On 2 October, the collective creation ‘Invisible Water’ will take place in Largo do Moinho de Odiáxere from 9pm, followed by the closing concert at 10pm.
Participation in the activities on the 1st and 2nd is free. Anyone wishing to be transported by bus between Odiáxere-Barragem da Bravura-Odiáxere should register by email (places limited): museu@cm-lagos.pt.
This is an initiative promoted by the municipality of Lagos/Museu de Lagos, with the support of Odiáxere Parish Council, Gil Eanes School Group, Improvise and Organise Association and ARBA – Alvor Irrigators and Beneficiaries Association.
Watch the teaser here.