by Filipe Albessu Narciso – on June 15, 2022

In celebration of the centenary of Ulysses, written by Irish author James Joyce, the Espaço das Artes (Eda) — one of USP art museums — hosted a series of events from the 13th to the 15th of June. Based on the Ulysses@100 Pelos Olhos Brasileiros (Ulysses@100 through Brazilian eyes) contest, which was promoted by the Embassy of Ireland in Brazil, the circuit of events was a praise to the Bloomsday holiday, an important Irish celebration that happens every June 16th in homage to the book’s protagonist, Leopold Bloom.   

The contest was advertised in January for 18 Brazilian universities, inviting each of them to produce physical and digital mural art regarding one of the chapters of Joyce’s book. USP was responsible for chapter seven, Aeolus. 

The program was directed by the W.B. Yeats Chair of Irish Studies from the Faculty of Philosophy, Languages and Literature, and Human Sciences (FFLCH), coordinated by professor Laura Zuntini Izarra, and by representative faculty members of the School of Communications and Arts (ECA). 

Among the contest winners, Raquel Harumi de Sá, student of ECA, was chosen for her physical mural art, meanwhile the first place for the category of digital mural art was represented by Guilherme Bretas Nascimento Baptista, from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism (FAU). 

The General Consul of Ireland in Brazil, Eoin Bennis, and Vice-Consul of Ireland in São Paulo, Rachel Fitzpatrick were present at the solemnities of the inauguration and opening ceremony of the winning artworks. Other representatives of USP entities, such as the Pro-rectory of Culture and University Extension (PRCEU), the International Cooperation Office (Aucani), and FFLCH also attended the event.

The three-day circuit of events included roundtable discussions, an exhibition of a cinematographic film, a theatrical presentation and a music act by USP Coral. The celebration of Bloomsday at the University of São Paulo exposes the richness of James Joyce’s literature and the abundance of Irish culture. Find out more about Bloomsday 2022 at the website of the W.B. Yeats Chair of Irish Studies.