Friday, August 3, 2012

Darfur Sartorialist


"Darfur is fashionable.
Beyond the conflict and images engraved in our minds lies a proud people wearing colour combinations unlikely in the trendy West."


Pedro Matos is a humanitarian aid worker living in Darfur for the past three years. His photos are on display at the cool "Ler Devagar" (Read Slowly) bookstore at LXFactory(*), Lisbon


(*)It’s in the year 1846 that a threads and fabrics Company called “Companhia de Fiação e Tecidos Lisbonense”, one of the most important manufacturing complex in Lisbon’s history, sets in Alcântara. This 23.000 m2 industrial site was, subsequently, occupied by a set of industrial use related companies.
An urban fragment, kept hidden for years, is now returned to the city in the form of LXFactory. A creative island occupied by corporations and professionals of the industry serves also has stage for a diverse set of happenings related to fashion, publicity, communication, fine arts, architecture, music, etc., attracting numerous visitors to rediscover Alcântara through an engaged dynamics. (LXFactory)

21 comments:

Kathy said...

According to the first photo they also serve cocktails! What an unusual combination!

VP said...

A very interesting subject, but I was caught by your last spectacular image!

Clytie said...

Pedro Matos sounds like a man with a huge heart, whose photos shout pride and beauty. I love the color combinations!!!

If this wonderful book store was near me, I would park myself there and never leave!

Sharon said...

Sounds like a fantastic reuse for this space. The photos in the the top photo are wonderful but, that bookstore is amazing.

Halcyon said...

I like the images of the women in their sartorial delights! :)

Lowell said...

My first thought was how long will it be until we realize all people are the same beneath their clothes...and that we are all one race, with the same kinds of needs and dreams and that what happens in one corner of the world affects everyone?

The LXFactory is a smashing idea! Again I'm impressed with the ability of Lisbon to move out of the box so to speak to create, sponsor and spark true creativity.

Nice photos, too!

Wayne said...

Wow, very interesting. This is such a cool building!

TexWisGirl said...

he shoots beautiful images!

Sylvia K said...

Wonderful post for the day, JM! I, too, wonder as Lowell has written, if and when the rest of the world will accept the fact that we are all the same beneath our clothes ???? I do love the bookstore! I would enjoy spending some serious time there! Enjoy your weekend!

PerthDailyPhoto said...

What a fantastically creative space JM, Pedro Matos's work is brilliant! I'm thinking this would be a great place to sit and 'read slowly' oui!

Pedro Matos said...

Thanks for the cool post and interest on the project! The Darfur Sartorialist also has a page in

https://www.facebook.com/DarfurSartorialist

where a new photo from Darfur is posted every day. Feel free to pass by, if you can't make it to the Ler Devagar bookstore, that is indeed amazing!

Pedro Matos
The Darfur Sartorialist

Stickup Artist said...

I have often wondered about this very subject: clothing, colors and fabrics. Especially after visiting your blog, I have come to realize that, at least here in the USA, we dress in a drab and uninspired way compared to the many cultures you have pictured on this blog. One might cite climate, but I live in a hot desert and never see such spectacular, flowing style. It makes a fascinating subject of study. A spirit of resilience and celebration is revealed that is beyond my imagining in spite of dire circumstances...

Joanne said...

Fabuloso!

Unknown said...

@Stickup Artist: I think you are referring to my travel blog, right? :-)

cieldequimper said...

JM I envy you these places. As for the beautiful photos of Darfour, I hope they continue to raise awareness...

Mildred said...

Um lugar que certamente teria o prazer de visitar se tivesse a oportunidade de ai ir dar uma volta. Mas parece que para este ano já não vai calhar!
En attendant merci pour ces bien jolies photos;o)

***
Bises et à bientôt, JM****

Jack said...

Another interesting post today, JM. You did a good job in emphasizing the photographs in the context of this fine store.

Maude Lynn said...

Marvelous shots!

Randy said...

I love the look of all those books.

Unknown said...

This is just a fascinating store! I could spend hours there, I think. The photos of the colorful fashions are just wonderful. I, too, know that we are all one, even nature, but I do love the differences of the cultures and hope we don't "homogenize" to the point where these differences are lost.

Kay said...

I'm with Lowell and Sylvia.

The photographs work wonderfully in such a great space. They make an already inviting bookstore even more interesting. I think I'd find this place irresistible.