The naming of a cultural building often makes reference to a historical fact, a unique location or a prominent figure: the case here is slightly more complex. The Museu Cais do Sertao on Eecife's waterfront -an ensemble of a former warehouse, a new concrete volume and green spaces opened in two phases in 2014 and 2018 - combines in its name two words and associated images that could not be more opposed. Cais (quay) conjures ideas of water, connectivity and dynamism. Sertao (the xeric scrubland landscape of Brazil's backlands) conveys drought, isolation and harsh conditions. Although it covers almost 10 per cent of Brazilian territory, the semi-arid landscape of the sertao is not one of the first images that springs to mind when thinking of Brazil. Rich in cultural history and folklore, articulating what meanings this word and landscape encompass is not an easy task. It is fitting, therefore, that the museum was conceived to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Brazilian singer and composer Luiz Gonzaga, who used his music to bring his interpretation of the sertao landscape to a wider audience.
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