This is the map of my ancestry report taken from my genetic test – my DNA archive.
I am Cândida Borges, I was born in Brazil, and I am exploring the world as a nomadic artist – searching to recognise my roots, memories, stories and convert all this into music, video, photography, art. This journey is my PhD. I invite you to join me.
I am interested on the diasporas events, migration stories of your family, on your ancestors and root. On the mixes it caused, all the placement and displacement. Dreams, pains, pleasures, everything related to movement and search for life. Do they have a connection with your present life and your future?
I realized that when I speak, somehow I do it in the name of all my ancestors, and so you do. When I see you, I see the expression of your past and your family’s stories, updated by your presence. It is all there. In your eyes, your voice, your hair, your hands…
I have been asking myself…
What are differences and similarities in our humanity? How far and close we are?
Can you tell your story as it really is?
how the past can anticipate the future and the future can anticipate the past?
How does your memories relate to your present consciousness?
What’s your code?
What are you encoded for?
How does the memories you don’t have or know relate to your present and future consciousness?
and finally…
how can your genetical and/or cultural background inform our artistic creation?
SHORT BIO
Cândida Borges is a musician and interdiciplinary creative artist, educator, composer, researcher, currently conducting PhD research into human transhumance in contemporary music and sound art, based at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture at the Plymouth University. The project “Integrating a new diaspora into composition” is motivated by the researcher’s own experience as a Brazilian born artist traveling the world to recognize her identity and ancestor’s legacy.
Cândida is also a Fellow Researcher for the Antioquia University (Colômbia) and has been an Associate Professor of Music for the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO) since 2009. She has also been an invited Professor for international institutes, festivals and universities.
Cândida was awarded a prize from the National Foundation of Arts in Brasil and since then has been based in New York developing this research about multiculturalism into electronic music composition and methodologies of music education. She holds Bachelors degree (2000) and Masters degree (2005) in Piano Performance from Rio de Janeiro Federal University (UFRJ), and her career also explores technology and her abilities as a singer and songwriter. Classically trained, she has also been making music for films, ballet, theater, collaborations with DJs and producers worldwide, and especially for her own career. Cândida’s last works has been highly reputated in the international electronic scene in the US, as well as the sound tracks, workshops, conferences and installations she has been presenting around the world.
To share her research to a broader audience, she created the website
www.dnarchiveproject.com and social networks channels where she journals and shows results from her research, including the participation of the international artists she engaged in the project as collaborators.
