By Lela Leme
In Brazil we had one of the most confusing ideas of lockdown that a real lockdown, like we should have had. We're in the fourth month of the Corona virus and Brazil is really lost. People are getting back to work, but who can still stay home, it is staying home (like me).
I guess the lockdown period is the confirmation of what my hobbies and passions in life are. Of course, the notebook and electronic stuff are nothing really ‘’unique of me’’ since it is essential in everyone’s life in the contemporary days. But there is a confirmation here of how much music, photography and drawing are important things for my mental health.
I absolutely don’t know how to do things without music, it’s like life without color for me. So, when I have to keep it to my own, it’s my headphones that transport me into another mood. When I can share it with my family it is the music box that takes place or even me and my brother that start playing and singing a Bossa nova song or some John Mayer cover.
Coffee, beer, and wine have continued to play its roles: concentration and chill moments with family, a lot of occasions in the company of good cuisine, cause everybody likes to cook here.
My camera and sketchbook are a limited experience right now since my scenario is restricted. But I still find ways to keep shooting and drawing. And when I’m not creative to photograph, I’m revisiting old pictures and editing them…The last couple of weeks I’ve been trying to select a few to do some prints.
And yes, I’ve been reading a bit more. The moment book is a little and simple brief story of the world, starting from the beginnings of human race and ending probably around the first world war. I bought this book when I was living abroad and wanted to remember what I’ve studied in high school. But now with more time, mature reflection and also because I was living in Europe and visiting the countries of the beginning of civilization (or should we say: the beginning of the idea of colonialism?).
Anyhow, I think the big surprise item here is the green chair. It is the sunset chair, this kid size object that I won when I was 7 years old or something and now it has become essential to go watch the sunset in the places I’m discovering in my city. I don’t wanna touch in anything, so I have my own small green chair. The moment I sit in there is when I’m truly alone, or in the company of a few friends that are also respecting the lockdown. It is the moment where somehow, I feel the horizon, feel the breeze, some sort of peace. I guess maybe it’s because the sunset is attached to the idea that the day is over and tomorrow is another day, a better day...A day closer to the end of social distance. A day closer to finding the cure.