Urucum. Red fruit native to tropical America, used in body painting, cooking and medicine. In the Mebêngôkre language of the Kayapó Indigenous group, annatto indicates a sacred plant, called pykoré, with strong symbolism in relation to abundance. According to the young Mopa Kayapó, from the A'ukre village, when starting a swidden or setting up a village, an annatto is sought after, as positive energy will flow from it.

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In 2020, the first project by Urucum was launched, Grammar, Momentary and Infinite. In fact, the first one with original photographs by José Eduardo Agualusa and his poetry.

A limited edition, in which each book-object is a masterpiece of graphic art: all printed in Fine Art, the text on bamboo paper and the photographs on rice paper.

This year we have also launched the boxes with drawings and poems: The Many Ways of Saying "I love you", by Ferreira Gullar and Cláudia Ahimsa, and ended with Before Touching the Sky, with photos by Siron Franco and poems by Augusto dos Anjos.

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Our editions follow the craftsmanship and graphic quality of the artists books by the prestigious UQ! Editions, with whom we have a link of origin.

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UQ!, a handmade books studio, started in Rio de Janeiro in 2014 and has since continued in Lisbon. In Rio, it published A Revelação do Avesso, a book-sculpture by Ferreira Gullar, and then the box with 32 graphic objects called Galaxies by Antonio Dias and Haroldo de Campos. In Lisbon, Cântico Negro was launched in 2017, in which the poem by José Régio was reinterpreted by the artist Pedro Cabrita Reis in 70 unique paintings on Bamboo paper, each of them, open, measuring 200 x 125 cm!.

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We intend to continue producing editorial projects by hand

of excellence. Books more than books, real objects of art!

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THE TEAM

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Lucia Bertazzo, is a PhD student in Museology, with a grant from the Unesco Chair - Education, Citizenship and Cultural Diversity at the Lusófona University of Lisbon. He has a degree in Design and a master's degree in Visual Culture from the Federal University of Goiás. He worked, between 2005 and 2010, with production in the studio of the artist Siron Franco. In 2014, in Rio de Janeiro, it opened UQ! Editions with Leonel Kaz. When he moved to Lisbon, in 2017, he brought the publishing house and in Portuguese lands transformed it into Urucum. Lucia also develops curatorship projects, assembling exhibitions and editions.

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Olivia Portellada, has a master's degree in Architecture from the University of Lisbon.

Throughout her career, in addition to architecture, she has worked with photography, design and cultural production. Today she is responsible for production at Urucum.

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PARTNERS

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Inês Coimbra, Leonel Kaz, Sula Danowiski, Cláudia Ahimsa, Fernando Ferreira, Eudóxia Bertazzo, Giuseppe Bertazzo, José Falcão, Estúdio Bulhufas, Bookbinding Design, Júlia Leite,

Inovacril, Ana Bertazzo, Elisabete Pereira, Heloisa Vivanco, Flávio Aquilina,

Rui Carvalho, Teresa Apolônia, Antonio Costa, Jaime Acioli

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Translations Catalogue & Website:

Flavia Couto (English) / Danielle Schramm (French)

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Translations Books:

Agualusa - Daniel Hahn (English) / Gociante Patissa (Umbundu) / Danielle Schramm (French) / Teresa Arijon (Spanish)

Augusto dos Anjos & Marco Tirelli -  Leland Guyer (English) 

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Photos - Bruno Veiga

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