Jorge Barbosa

Category: Nature > Garden

District: Lisboa > Oeiras > Oeiras > Tapada do Mocho

Location

Situated in the Tapada do Mocho urbanization, in the municipality of Oeiras, the space dedicated to Jorge Barbosa is integrated into the vast and emblematic Poets' Park (Parque dos Poetas). This park, an extensive green area designed for cultural and leisure enjoyment, harmoniously blends into the urban landscape of the municipality. Its position allows visitors to enjoy wide and captivating views over the Tagus River estuary and the immensity of the Atlantic Ocean, providing a serene environment conducive to contemplation.

The Sculptural Tribute

In the Poets' Park, a remarkable sculptural piece pays tribute to Jorge Barbosa. This artwork, by sculptor Leão Lopes, stands out not only for its imposing nature but also for the symbolic choice of material: basalt sourced directly from Cape Verde. With its considerable dimensions (three meters wide, almost three meters high, and three and a half meters deep, and an approximate weight of 15 tons) the sculpture invites close observation, marking the poet's presence robustly and profoundly linked to his origins.

The Legacy of a Poet

Jorge Barbosa (1902-1971) was a central figure in Cape Verdean literature, recognized as a pioneer of poetic modernity in the archipelago. His work is intrinsically linked to the search for and characterization of the identity of his homeland's people, sensitively addressing social and telluric themes. Through collections such as "Arquipélago", "Ambiente", and "Caderno de um Ilhéu", the poet broke away from metropolitan literary models, becoming one of the founders of the influential magazine Claridade. His poetry, which reflects the "social drama of the Cape Verdean man," evokes adversities such as drought, hunger, and emigration, and conveys a feeling of resilience and longing, mirrored in verses that reveal the "despair of wanting to leave and having to stay."

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt