Photographic exhibition mixes legend and reality to raise awareness about the situation of species in AM

The Last Button

Project “The Last Boto” receives support from the Government of Amazonas, through the Paulo Gustavo Law

Manaus (AM) – During the most severe drought ever recorded in Amazonas, between the months of September and October 2023, more than 10% of the dolphin population of Lake Tefé, in the interior of the state, was victimized by the increase in water temperature. Using art as a tool, photographer Tácio Melo found a poetic and sensitive way to draw society’s attention to the dangers these animals face in times of extreme weather events.

In February, the artist will launch the exhibition “The Last Boto”, which will mix legend and reality to raise awareness about the importance of preserving rivers, forests and Amazonian dolphin species, endemic to the region. According to him, the pink dolphin and tucuxi are classified as “in danger of extinction” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

“The project gives relevance to frequent events in our region, such as the last drought, which affected thousands of riverside dwellers and led to the death of several species, including hundreds of dolphins. The dolphin is one of the most symbolic animals in the Amazon, very present in our folklore, and all of this will be represented by artistic photographs that will portray the animal’s life and death in the region, along with texts that warn of its risk of extinction”,

explains Tácio Melo.

The initiative was included in the Public Notice for Promotion of Arts and Culture 2023 – Paulo Gustavo Law, with support from the State Government, through the State Council of Culture and the State Secretariat for Culture and Creative Economy, and the Federal Government, through of the Ministry of Culture.

Exhibition

The photographs, in a surrealist style, were produced at Lake Tefé (Praia do Amor) and on the urban banks of the municipality, located 575 kilometers from Manaus. For the work, the photographer cast dancer Felipe Cassiano, a member of the Corpo de Dança do Amazonas (CDA), who played the dolphin with the characteristics present in popular culture stories.

The project will result in a traveling exhibition scheduled to debut in the historic building of the former Tefé city hall, in mid-February, with support from the Municipal Department of Education, Sport and Culture. The exhibition will be fully adapted to accommodate People with Disabilities (PwDs), who will have access to audio description of the works, translation into Libras and adequate space for people with physical/motor disabilities. Afterwards, the exhibition will visit public schools in the city, reaching students and education professionals.

“The Último Boto” is part of the photographic series “Sinfonia na Floresta”, which Tácio Melo started in 2011, dedicated to the environmental theme. In the future, the artist intends to continue his work to address other animals from the Amazon fauna. Follow this and other productions on the photographer’s social networks (@fototacio).

*With information from consultancy

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