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Forces of Nature #15

The Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 bid for European Capital of Culture has launched the “Forces of Nature” photographic series, by the photographer Paulo Goulart. The aim is to show that our nature is human, by showing people that build the culture of this place.

Francisco Afonso Lopes was born in São Miguel Island and lives between the Azores and Lisbon. He is a doctor whose many, many interests keep him away from practising medicine. He dabbles in screen and playwriting, acting, directing and being a cartoonist, a cultural jack-of-all-trades. Nature has no prejudice or shame in being ridiculous, he says. He is therefore attracted to peculiar natural features like limpets or custard apples. In a way, he is keeping alive the tradition of prominent cultural figures like musician and filmmaker Zeca Medeiros or writer Vitorino Nemésio by acknowledging nature as the main literary character from the Azores.