Sound Sketches

Rua da Barca

Macau, China, 2012. At the corner of Rua da Barca with Rua de Marques de Oliveira there are a couple of buildings that become extremely thin near the intersection, and allow for interesting perspectives.

Rua do General Ivens Ferraz

Macau, China, 2012. This residencial neighbourhood in Macau is made of wide pedestrian streets framed by tall apartment buildings with a hi occupation rate. Here it's still possible to find a place to rent that's not too expensive, for the local standards. Lots of families walk around here during the day, and the streets are sprinkled with urban equipment for children and for relaxed exercise. But at night even the playground seems like the model for a ghost town.

Estrada do Reservatório (Reservoir Road)

Macau, China, 2012. November is time for the Macau Grand Prix, an old tradition. The races take place inside the city, in the streets that surround the water reservoir. After unsuccessfully trying to secure a pass to see the races from the stands, I decided to try to draw the cars and crowd from afar, outside the perimeter of the racetrack. Much to my surprise all possible points of view from the outside were covered or heavily guarded. Security reasonings aside, it seemed that the inhabitants of the city were treated like hostages in their own streets. Constant gridlocks, blocked passageways and sound, deafening sound. I sat in the park surrounding the reservoir, placed right next to the race track. You couldn't see the cars, but the seemingly peaceful setting had intruders. You could hear them.

Estrada de Cacilhas

Macau, China, 2012. Walking a little up the street past the Hoi Fu building I saw myself in a narrow public sidewalk very close to the racetrack. There were open entrances to residential buildings that were literally framing the road. I sat down to draw all the grids and protection nets and its intricate patterns when the first cop came. At first suspicious, he ended up letting me sit on the stairs of a a building to draw. I managed to almost finish this sketch when the second policeman came. This one didn't let me stay there, despite being an area open to the public. I still managed to feel and hear the bikes speeding by.

25 de Abril Bridge

Lisbon, Portugal, 2013. Known as Ponte Salazar during the dictatorship years, it was renamed with the date of the day the revolution gave the power back to the portuguese people, 25th of April 1974, national holiday. I frequently pass under it while riding my bicycle, following a cycling path that starts at Cais do Sodre and goes all the way to the Belém tower, the 1500's monument, 7 km away. Visually it's very similar to San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge. Also, there's a distinctive humming to this bridge. For some reason the middle lane is made of an open metal grid, and the cars that drive over it make this droning sound.