The Bottom Drawer
Director Pedro Macedo
Countries Portugal
Duration 54 min
Synopsis
In 2009, Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos was commissioned by Nisa Museum to make an artwork in close collaboration with the craftspeople of this rural Alentejo town. The piece, Valquíria Enxoval (*), draws upon a unique expression in Portuguese culture, where, in Nisa, traditionally, girls from the age of six, would make embroideries working for years to create a bridal trousseau, which would then be sold on the eve of a wedding. With the money raised, the local women would secure the purchase of a house for the newlywed couple. Although this tradition started to die out in the second half of the twentieth century, the women of Nisa still hold an extraordinary power within the region's social fabric. The film follows the development process behind Vasconcelos' work, offering a portrait of the town's daily life, seen through its renown and particular handicraft techniques. What were the craftspeople' expectations at the different stages of this artwork's creation? What were the artist's expectations, regarding the impact her piece might have on the life and work of the artisans? How did the protagonists in these two worlds (Art and Crafts) relate to one another? As it follows the making of the Valquíria Enxoval, the film introduces seven characters connected with the tradition of the trousseau in Nisa, seven stories hidden in the bottom drawer. Those statements give important insights into Portuguese society in the nineteen fifties, namely how the national tradition (woman as embroiderer, mother and housewife) met with the local tradition (embroideries as a symbol of married woman's independent identity, emancipation and autonomy).
In 2009, Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos was commissioned by Nisa Museum to make an artwork in close collaboration with the craftspeople of this rural Alentejo town. The piece, Valquíria Enxoval (*), draws upon a unique expression in Portuguese culture, where, in Nisa, traditionally, girls from the age of six, would make embroideries working for years to create a bridal trousseau, which would then be sold on the eve of a wedding. With the money raised, the local women would secure the purchase of a house for the newlywed couple. Although this tradition started to die out in the second half of the twentieth century, the women of Nisa still hold an extraordinary power within the region's social fabric. The film follows the development process behind Vasconcelos' work, offering a portrait of the town's daily life, seen through its renown and particular handicraft techniques. What were the craftspeople' expectations at the different stages of this artwork's creation? What were the artist's expectations, regarding the impact her piece might have on the life and work of the artisans? How did the protagonists in these two worlds (Art and Crafts) relate to one another? As it follows the making of the Valquíria Enxoval, the film introduces seven characters connected with the tradition of the trousseau in Nisa, seven stories hidden in the bottom drawer. Those statements give important insights into Portuguese society in the nineteen fifties, namely how the national tradition (woman as embroiderer, mother and housewife) met with the local tradition (embroideries as a symbol of married woman's independent identity, emancipation and autonomy).