Arquivo

In this film, the first of the Live as an Artist series, the main character is a typical Brazilian “santeiro” (an artisan who makes and sells religious figures and images) from the historical town of Pirenópolis, Goiás State, Brazil. A well-liked and controversial artist, he opens his life and the youthful vigor of his work to the cameras, while also disclosing the darker sides of his existence as an artisan and a human being. His name: José Inácio Nascimento. A typical survivor of sorts through the serious cultural transition the country is undergoing, Nascimento has survived not only the continuous blows inflicted by the cultural industry on popular art, but also the most backward puritanical attacks on the sensuality and creativity of the artist’s baroque background. This documentary aims to give an insight into the conflicts of Nascimento’s life, from his family circle to the conflicts caused by his irreverence and the reactions of the society around him.