Constança Pinheiro Torres/ Coco – Cartografias do Invisível (PT)/ Cartographies of the invisible
This project, presented by Constança Torres on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2026, explores how rituals are not fixed traditions, but practices that constantly change over time. During the residency at LAKE Studios, my intention was to re-define, re-structure and evaluate the work to present it in its full finished form in November, during the book release that I’m writing on the subject.
Focusing on the Caretos ritual in the Trás-os-Montes region of Portugal, this piece examines how a tradition historically performed by masked young men is gradually being transformed through the increasing participation of women. Based on field research, interviews, and archival material, the work reveals how women have always been connected to the ritual through ideas of fertility and community, even while remaining socially invisible or excluded from active participation. Today, that dynamic is shifting through ongoing negotiations within the communities themselves, expanding who can embody the ritual and reshaping its meaning.
The project approaches tradition as a living and evolving process, where gender, memory, and collective identity are continuously redefined by the people who practice it. 3D renderings of historical masks from the National Museum of Ethnology archive in Lisbon, is presented in a face-tracking new technology built with TouchDesigner, to allow the visitors to interact with and explore the masks in real time, virtually inhabiting these digital artefacts and shifting between different identities.
The final form is envisioned as an immersive 26min piece to be extended to one hour, where archival material, oral testimonies, and interactive technologies coexist within a performative space. The installation includes sculptural elements inspired by ritual costumes and masks, and digital interfaces allowing visitors to engage directly with virtual mask embodiments.
The work aims to create a contemplative environment where audiences can reflect on cultural memory, transformation, gender, and the relationship between archives, museums, and participation.
A central conceptual layer is the idea of the archive as something active rather than static. Many museum and archival collections remain partially hidden or inaccessible, stored away from public interaction. By proposing to bring to the audience such material through a personal and intimate approach, allows audiences to engage directly with cultural heritage.
Movement research exercises during LAKE:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 9
While combining these exercises, I focused on applying for several residencies and funding to help me peruse the work. A huge part of my days were spent writing.