© Rita Draper Frazão

Inner Tour is a blog about People, Arts and Traveling by Rita Draper Frazão.
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1.29.2019

The magic pass of Beautify Junkyards & Nina Miranda (Smoke City)


A bit more than a week ago, between pouring rain, and a bit of wintery cold, thankfully, the band Beautify Junkyards did a concert to warm my heart!

And special guests, such as Nina Miranda, from Smoke City, and other surprises, were there to spice things up. Want to know more? Keep reading, and join me in this magical mystery tour


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Beautify Junkyards created an event called Sonhos Tecnicolor (Technicolor Dreams). It was in that context, that they prepared this special night. There was cinema in the beginning, two concerts and a dj set. My drawings you can see here, accompanied its making of, and premiere. 


The process


I'm getting more aware that my musicians' drawings are not just about the musicians, the music, and the concert, but they hold something more conceptual, and deep, that requires time. 

Usually, I just draw musicians while they are performing on stage, during the concert (and paint them after if necessary). This time around, was a bit different, since I had the privilege to also draw them during their rehearsal, and sound check. It made sense to witness their creative process, and hopefully that translated into better portraits. Here are some of the drawings made, and my thoughts about them. Enjoy!


Beautify Junkyards


I was the only non musician element besides the band, during the rehearsal. It was a privilege. When I entered the room, and saw all those posters from the band Hipnótica, I said something like: hum, this band was nice!, and the bass player of Beautify Junkyards, Sergue, said, well, that's us! It was a good sign to begin with!

João Branco Kyron © Rita Draper Frazão

My portrait of Beautify Junkyards' male singer, João Branco Kyron was started during this rehearsal, and was finished, the day after, at Music Box, where the concert took place. 

During the rehearsal, he mentioned this 7 herb incense, and lit one stick, during the session. While in the concert, he did that too, and read a little bit of the text in the box. It said something about chasing away bad energies and evil spirits. Good old Egyptians have a saying that says that when the angels present themselves, the devils abscond. Bogus or not, the truth is, that things ran smoothly! 
He also spoke about fixing some stuff in the world. Found it interesting, and made me rethink about his chosen name, Kyron. I immediatly thought of Greek mythology's Chiron, the wounded immortal healer, that was also a teacher. Connecting the dots, I thing we've all experienced how music can be therapeutic and educating. 

Regarding this portrait, his launchpad gave me the basic motto for the background. I also thought about conveying some 70's energy, and a Kraftwerkish vibe, that João exudes. But it wasn't just that. The colors chosen, had in mind the nature (the indie folk - green hues), versus the metropolis (the electronic - the silver color, hard to perceive correctly through a scan...), with the joy showing up (the happy pops - all the other colors), and João infusing himself, in the middle of it all. (overlaps, contaminations) There's something oneiric about him, in the most utopian sense possible. I also made sure the circle colors in the the portrait's base, are seven. 
After all, this portrait, could be a film frame, something poetic, spiritual, sharp and visionary, all at the same time. Like him.



António Watts © Rita Draper Frazão

Here's António Watts, the drummer. It was hard to draw him! If it wasn't the fact that I was present during the sound check, this drawing just could've not been possible, because he was in the back and the lighting wasn't good. (That was why I couldn't draw Sergue...)
So, during the sound check, I was on stage, right next to Tony, drawing him - an impossible thing to do, during the show.

He doesn't play with cymbals, and uses a funny brass object (that inspired the one you can see in the drawing) as a percussion item. In my drawing, a lack of hair is giving him the special power to transport a bit of him and his abstract concepts into the music! Spreading the groove!



Fe Rita (Helena Espvall) © Rita Draper Frazão

Ahhh... Helena... Helena Espvall is beauty, hope, lavender, sweets, sea breeze and all the things I can remember that resemble to the/my meaning of the word fe
I know Helena for a little while, now, and have made some drawings from her, through the past years. We became friends, and I affectionately usually call her, ever since, my fairy

But, it was only on our way out of the rehearsal of Beautify Junkyards - where she plays both as a guitar and cello player - that I told her the only word I knew in her mother tongue (Swedish) - Fe
Fe means fairy in Swedish and faith in Portuguese. (And I can relate both meaning so much to her!!) But the most surprising thing for me, was that, right away, she said: Oh! But do you know what Rita means in Swedish!? 
and I said: No!
and Helena topped off: It means to draw!
I just couldn't believe it! This was too good to be true. Without even having anything made any drawing from her that night, the concept of her portrait was already casted in my mind.

This, by itself, is extremely unusual in my work process, when drawing musicians. I don't think of anything previously, I actually usually avoid doing so. But Helena was the first exception.
That same night, I came home wondering how could I include these two words (with sense) in her portrait. I first thought of a sentence or a poem in the drawing. So, at really late hours, that same night, I asked Helena's help to form a sentence with these two words. But I wanted all this to be a surprise, so I couldn't tell her why I was asking such things. She must've thought I was mad, asking her at 2 am to join in a sentence two unlinkable words in Swedish! Tetric!
Turns out that, according to her, to make a Swedish sentence with sense, the word Rita had to change and that couldn't be, because Rita is my name, and that's how it's written in Portuguese. I thought: No problem, I'll sort a sense out through the drawing itself. I mean, I had to!

I slept on it, and the next day, while in the sound check, I had the idea that made the whole concept of the drawing. I decided this was going to be my first portrait, not only from a musician, but clearly about my relation with this person. And mine and Helena's definitely started due to my drawings, so I included my hand and pencil with the brand Rita, writing the name I always call her!

The colors and materials chosen, have to do with the magic she has. It's just unexplainable and so present in her. A spiritual lilac with a magic potion inspired by the glittery eye shadow she wore that night.*

(* This is another drawing hard to be fairly perceived though a scan, due to its sheen) 




Rita Vian © Rita Draper Frazão

Rita Vian has a literary surname. I love Boris Vian so much, that I think, that was almost the first thing I spoke to her about, when we met. She's the female singer of Beautify Junkyards. Fresh, sweet and strong, detail oriented, even in her clothing! I was amazed with the fact that she did her own dress that night. It deserved life in my drawing too! An inspired golden hue is enlightening Rita and she's gracefully transforming it back to the public, in a swan dress movement. As she, in real life, did. Beautiful!



João Pedro Moreira © Rita Draper Frazão

And about this drawing, I'll tell you a secret: it's unfinished. But there are two reasons why I still included it here.

The first one is, that I didn't know, but one of the very first contacts I had with Beautify Junkyards' music, was through João Pedro Moreira's work. He not only plays guitar is this band, as he's a director and did this amazing video for their song Aquarius. I just love it so much!!
He is also the author of other videos, like this one, for Buraka Som Sistema.

The second one, is that the fun of its making is worth telling you here.
I tried to draw João several times, during the concert, but my task was creatively hampered, to the point he was joking at me, while performing, during the concert, daring me to draw him, moving as hell, deliberately. We both laughed so hard!! The result is here - João active and in motion! Like in the movies :)



Second Part with Nina Miranda




Natty Fred © Rita Draper Frazão

This one is Fred Munguambe, a.k.a Natty Fred. He played with Nina Miranda on the second part of the night. This drawing's about his languid earthy vibe. I envisioned earthy stuff when I chose the color and material to draw him: beige and a pure graphite pencil. 

Somehow, his performance and vibe made me think of the things that still have to come up from an almost blank page, with time, patience, resilience and work. Concepts like sustainability, a healthy planet, increasing nature, more electricity less fuel fossils, enriched human resources and social justice, crossed my mind, as the omnipresent things, in the white of this portrait, one can not see. There's still so much work, all of us have to do!



Real MC (Anselmo Hael) © Rita Draper Frazão

Anselmo Hael's entrance on stage was majestic, to say the least. His hat had to be swapped for a crown in my drawing!
Even though he had a small participation in Nina's show, his energy was strong and his speech incisive. And he sprinkled everything with hope and so much gusto. A true master of ceremonies. My Real MC.
I, actually, thought of the double meaning of the word Real in Portuguese - both mean true and royal. A pun as a gift, for a gifted word player.



iZem © Rita Draper Frazão

Jérémie Moussaid Kerouanton a.k.a iZem, had previously masterminded a version of the song Água Viva with Nina Miranda. Based in Lisbon, it seemed only natural that, in this concert, he also sang and played guitar along with Nina Miranda.

His face sketch, was started during the soundcheck (where he had a red cap, and later changed it). His guitar was also red. The drawing was completed during the concert, and the rest was finished later.
Turns out, the color red also suited what I wanted to say about him. Red: the color of ignition, of daring initiatives, and of alert.

And his resume can also be considered a red alert for those who don't know his work yet! He's worked with people such as Gilles PettersonSolange Knowles (Beyonce Knowles' sister), Jose James and Mayra Andrade, just to name a few. He is also one of the artists of EnchufadaBuraka Som Sistema's label.

Having in mind iZem is an all-in-one package (a music producer, a dj, and a musician) I wanted to portray here, the true music octopus, that he is - with his tentacles (here represented by the strings of his guitar) reaching out to the world!



Bird Nina (Nina Miranda/Smoke City) © Rita Draper Frazão

Last, but not the least, my birdie Nina Miranda, from Smoke City. The special star of the night!
She not only sang her own things, as in the first part of the show, she also sang with Beautify Junkyards.
So good to see her again! I have the feeling Lisbon loves her, and she loves us too :)

 In the middle of the concert, she asked to the audience: "Where are the bird sounds out there?" Needless to say, the most beautiful birds are inside you, Nina! And more! The whole Amazonas, the skies, the colors, the stars, the animals, the children, the oceans, the waves, the rhythm, freedom, love and so many other things. 
It somehow reminded me, of the sounds and of this passage in Smoke City's Giulietta:


A mixture of an underwater blue Pisces finding her school fish and my bird Nina finding her flock of birds. That's what this drawing's all about.




Finally, I need to mention that during the concert, I was intrigued with this girl taking pictures with a crystal in front of her lens. I'd later see her work, online, afterwards the show... And I truly loved it, to the point I wanted to mention it here. I mean this has nothing to do with the regular concert photos one's used to see. (Find the ones from this gig, here) I just loved her framing and lightening composition sense. Like in fine art :)  Here's a photograph she took me, while I was drawing.*
See more of Ana Viotti's work here. It's worth it!

* Used here with her permission.


During the concert of Beautify Junkyards, João Branco Kyron made several references. One of them, made me think about the contribution this music makes, in order for us to live in a happier and better place. A magic pass. That was the exact sensation I had when I came back home from the show. Wide technicolor dreams, but better: these were real.


2 comentários:

  1. Que Lindo Rita! You are a magic angel, as I said you seem to do X- Rays of the soul, with your huge eyes drinking it all, through the heart and out through hand and pencil-wand- MAGiC! Love youuuu x x x

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  2. Oh Nina!! Thank you so much for your sensibility and generosity. That is something that's part of your being and is translated into your work in such a beautiful way. The result? Is that you inspire others. And I must be in the #1 row of the "Ninas' inspired"! Love you too!!

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