Located in one of the largest Brazilian historical centers, the Sacatar Foundation, in partnership with Pro Helvetia, has facilitated the cultural exchange of Swiss artists with the community of Ilha de Itaparica (Bahia, Brazil) through the residency programs of the Sacatar Institute, which connect artists from different areas and from different parts of the world in order to facilitate the development of new works.

Between July 17th and August 12th, 2019, the Swiss writer Begoña Feijoó Fariña got to know the neighborhood in which the residence is located, living with the local community, creating intimacy with the Portuguese language and engaging with the artistic and cultural class of Bahia. Fariña visited a region whose history and culture are intrinsically linked to African ancestral traditions, connecting with the island’s inhabitants and having an individual studio at her disposal.

With a structure that guarantees free time and space for the artists received by the residency, Fariña writes about the powers awakened during her residency period.

“The best thing about Sacatar, even better than the wonderful studio where I could work at any time of the day and night, are the places where I could not-to-do. And these are the places that really become work, the places that they produce when you don’t think you are producing.” Free translation of text produced by Begoña Feijoó Fariña during her residency at Instituto Sacatar.