Alumbre na Macaia
Ian CHEIBUB
Alumbre na Macaia is a photographic immersion into Afro-Brazilian ancestral knowledge. “Alumbre“ evokes light and enchantment, while “Macaia“ refers to a sacred place and a forest where medicinal herbs grow. Together, they create a unique visual and sensory experience.
Coming from a spiritual lineage, Ian Cheibub explores the connection between photography and rituals using a singular process. After capturing images of the Umbanda terreiro, where his grandmother—who passed away last November—was an Ialorixá (priestess and spiritual guide), he immerses his film in baths of sacred herbs. This transformation gives his images an organic texture, blending family memory with cultural resistance.
Beyond aesthetics, his work questions history and classical photographic techniques. It follows a decolonial approach, reinventing the transmission of ancestral knowledge outside dominant practices. Alumbre na Macaia is an invitation to contemplation, where art and spirituality engage in a profound and authentic dialogue.
curators Gláucia Nogueira, Florent Basiletti
partners IANDÉ Photographie, la Kabine