Manufacturing fear: the masks of Seu Dodô

Beneath a mango tree, Seu Dodô creates his incredible paper masks. These are masks borne out of a fearful imagination and painted in the colors that belong to it: black, red and white.

First the clay is worked, smoothed, and sculpted into frightful shapes. Next, he covers the clay with strips of brown paper mixed with manioc gum.

The scenery is adorned with clay, gum, paper and the overhanging mangoes. The sun joins in with its power to dry the mixture and separate the paper from the clay. If there is no sun, Seu Dodô uses the heat of a fire.

Earth, water, fire and air joined in the cultural production of Acupe.

Sunday we will see how this mask offers its body to those who play as caretas, or grimaces.

        Text and photos: Renata Meirelles