Bruno Pereira Ribeiro’s series, “The Grass needs to be cut” is a compelling exploration of the cultural landscape of Northern interior Portugal, focusing on the traditional bullfighting culture and its social dynamics. This photographic work captures not only the bullfights themselves but also the intricate social fabric that surrounds and sustains these events, presenting a nuanced portrayal of tradition, identity, and community in this rural region.
The project delves into the symbolism of bullfighting and its role as a ritual of social interaction. For the author, the bullfights act as a lens through which deeper cultural narratives can be understood.
The result is a body of work that moves beyond mere documentation, offering a deeper reflection on the cultural values, power dynamics, and the preservation of rituals in a changing society.
The project also suggests a metaphor for the cyclical nature of these traditions. The act of cutting grass represents both a literal and symbolic renewal, akin to the seasonal rhythms of bullfighting culture itself. This cyclical motif is woven throughout the series, echoing themes of continuity and change, life and death, and the struggle to maintain identity in the face of modernization.
Ribeiro’s approach is both documentary and poetic, blending moments of rawness with scenes of quiet observation. By focusing on the interplay between tradition and place, the series explores the ways in which cultural practices are deeply rooted in the landscape and how they shape the social reality of this rural region.
Through “The Grass needs to be cut, Bruno Pereira Ribeiro invites viewers to engage with a world where tradition, community, and land are inextricably linked, reflecting on the persistence of these rituals and their evolving meaning in contemporary Portugal.
About the author: Bruno Pereira Ribeiro
Bruno Pereira Ribeiro was born in 1997 in northern Portugal and he works as photographer and director. His work delves into the possibilities and limitations of visual storytelling, utilizing both mediums to explore and challenge the narrative power of images.
