Louceiras do Maruanum: gestos e pensamentos no território artístico da identidade

Abstract

This research investigates the artistic territory of the Louceiras do Maruanum from a phenomenological and cartographic approach, prioritizing the sensitive and processual experience of creative acts. Inspired by Merleau-Ponty's (1999) phenomenology of perception, the rhizomatic thinking of Deleuze and Guattari (2000; 2007) and the Projeto Nova Cartografia Social da Amazônia, the main objective is to understand how creative acts are generated and expressed in the artistic work of the Louceiras do Maruanum and how they contribute to the construction of the cultural and social identity of their community. This research does not aim to establish an objective truth, but rather to follow the dynamics of artistic making within the lived world, where gestures, materials, and interactions intertwine. The cartographic approach allows the study to remain a field in motion, exploring the intercorporeality and creativity involved in the process of crafting earthenware pottery. To achieve the objective, the definition of the scope and the theoretical choices, based on the reflections during the immersion in the field of study, led to a combination of concepts, theories and experiments that outlined the interdisciplinary methodological plan of analysis: interviews, dialogues, photographs and workshops as strategies for activating cartography, allowing the emergence of multiple voices and experiences. Despite logistical and personal challenges, the workshops enabled collective reflections on the creative processes. The research findings reaffirm that the artistic practice of the Louceiras is not merely the repetition of an inherited repertoire, but involves adaptation, improvisation, and the ability to respond to the forces that shape it. The cohesion of this tradition lies not in its rigidity, but in its ability to renew itself while maintaining a deep connection with the community. Finally, the research highlights the importance of approaching cultural practices with a sensitive perspective — not as remnants of the past, but as living processes.