“The Virgin Mary is a Cryptid” is a commentary on the obsession of the Virgin Mary in Portugal, comparing it cryptid hunting and conspiracy theorists.
“Castle Azulejos”, Castles and forts are very common in Portugal with many cities having one or have had one at some point in time due to having to defend themselves from the Spanish and Moors. Thus, being as common as Portuguese tiles.
“Desenmerda-te” (unshit yourself) is one of my favourite Portuguese sayings which means to get yourself out of an impossible situation or a large mess. It was a saying I often heard growing up and a general mindset I have to this day, which is why I it would be a fitting inspirational embroidered quote.
“Kings of Portugal” celebrates the less stellar moments of Portuguese kings. Whether it’s D. Afonso I who created a country in defiance of his mother, or D. Dinis I who has two villages named after his lusty escapades, it shows that Portuguese kings tend to be more selfish, stupid, and reckless than their subjects.
“Cork Science” Portugal is the biggest exporter of cork, a bark harvested from a specific type of oak tree (sobreiros) most widely known as corks/stoppers for bottles. However, cork has a lot of impressive properties. It’s lightweight, soundproof, waterproof and a great insulator, with it being developed in Portugal for space rockets, footwear, and building materials.
“Calçada Portuguesa” or Portuguese cobblestone pavement is often made from blue and white stones that are meticulously laid out in beautiful and decorative patterns. Despite being pretty, they’re incredibly impractical. They’re an uneven surface, the white stone is incredibly slippery when wet, there’s often stones missing in the pavement and are a nightmare to walk on in heels.
“Summer Festivals” Portuguese Summers are often filled with lots of grilled sardines, hot days and summer festivals. The most popular being the festas de Santo António in Lisbon and festas de São João in Porto. However, many small towns and villages have their own summer parties where they celebrate a patron saint, drink, eat and are overall incredibly crowed.
“The Fall of Salazar” António Salazar was a Portuguese dictator who died from complications of falling off a chair. Like many dictators, he had posters and other propaganda promoting patriotism and traditional values, of which this piece is a parody of.
I Love Ronaldo
“I love (Cristiano) Ronaldo” explores my experience and perception of Portuguese culture growing up in Canada and Portugal through humour.
