Marginal Waters

By Emanoel Saravá

Marginal Waters is a photographic series that bathes in the historical and cultural waters of the ancient water sources of Salvador, Bahia, moving through the city's identity and collective memory.

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The water sources, such as Fonte da Pedreira, Fonte Gamboa de Baixo, Fonte da Bica and Fonte do Chega Nego, portrayed between 2022 and 2024 with the support of are silent witnesses of the history of Salvador, from colonial times to the present day . During the colonial period, these sources were the main means of water supply for the city's first gears, being carried mainly by slave force.

Today, degraded by time and due to lack of attention from public authorities and outdated socio-cultural policies, the fountains are marginalized places, being used by the city's vulnerable population, reflecting social inequalities and the ancestral struggle for basic rights.

The territory of water thus becomes a political territory of resistance and reunions, where water is not only a physical resource, but also a symbol of identity and cultural resistance.

Through experimental photoperformances, the series seeks to record the nature of water use from each source, highlighting their historical and cultural importance, as well as the challenges faced by these spaces. Collaborating with local artists and artists from other states, the performances explore the movements of these bodies of water in dialogue with the sources, transmitting fragility and strength.

By combining photography, performance and socio-environmental and cultural research, the series provokes a reflection on the issues surrounding the use of water, promoting a dialogue about the importance of preserving and valuing these natural resources for future generations by recognizing their importance as a machine Through time that connects historical contexts, we can learn from the past, act in the present and shape the future in a responsible and conscious way.

Datasheet:

Research and photography: Emanoel Saravá

Performances:

• Ricardo Boa Sorte - Fonte da Gamboa de Baixo

• Quilomba Zu - Fonte do Chega Nego

• José Jara - Fonte da Bica

Support: Proext, UFBA.