Rómulo Santa Rita Portugal, b. 1980
The installation "Fragile", composed of twelve pieces gathered in a structure shaped like a ship, was presented for the first time in 2019 at the Galeria Banco Económico in Luanda as part of the group show "Intersections – Within the Global South".
"Worn out, disrespected and disposable. Fragile. All on board the same boat, navigating the volatile and negligent policies of their leaders who today, just like in the days of slavery, continue to see the people as cargo, bargaining chips, almost free labour.
The "Caridade" was the name of the ship that transported slaves from Angola to Brazil at the beginning of the 19th century. Today, that ship no longer physically docks in Angola's harbours, but it is still present in the track of the fragile, in a more polite, politically bearable way. But the impact it represents on the fragility of the people has little changed - slaves with a lack of education, a lack of health, a lack of prospects.
Little is known about "Charity", a lot is asked for, and it is almost always channelled to other ends."
(Rómulo Santa Rita, 2019).