INTRODUCTION

A festival celebrating the island's nature—from within.
Echoo was born in 2024 as part of the Nature Festival. The name "Echoo" evokes the idea of ​​echoing a message of well-being in harmony with nature, while also referencing "ecosystem" and "ecological."
It takes place over two days each year at Chão das Feiteiras, featuring a diverse program to be announced soon: concerts, casual talks on nature and sustainability, project presentations in these fields, and more; activities for all ages, a silent party, sunrise meditation, species observation, and much else. It is not a retreat; it is simply an event where one connects with Nature through leisure and socializing, all with environmental awareness and respect.

ART ZONE · 2026 OPEN CALL

Two installations selected from the 2026 submissions, to be discovered amidst the forest on October 10 and 11.

ADONIS GALVÃO

A Portuguese-Brazilian artist living in Madeira since 2018, Adonis Galvão works across painting and installation, always centering on the relationship between nature and culture. For the Art Zone, he is creating the "Grande Ninho" (Big Nest): a human-scale nest, five meters in diameter, made from giant reed, ferns, and wood gathered right there at Chão das Feiteiras. You step inside barefoot, lie down, and gaze at the sky—leaving you with the question: how can we regain the feeling that we are part of what we need to protect?

GRANDE NINHO

Chão das Feiteiras is one of the few plateaus on the island of Madeira—situated at an altitude of 1,200 meters and surrounded by cedar trees—with a history deeply rooted in pastoral life. It was also the setting for the ECHOO MADEIRA NATURE FEST 2026.

This work is an environmental art intervention, the winning project of this edition’s Open Call.

The "Great Nest" (*Grande Ninho*) is aligned toward the North.
The entrance faces South—a natural choice, given that I hail from the Global South.
Following the sun’s path from East to West, I placed two paintings featuring the Iberian proverb: “Like nest, like bird” (*De tal ninho, tal passarinho*).
To be an adult is to take ownership of one’s own life—which includes the freedom to build one’s nest exactly as one wishes, thereby creating a new tradition, unburdened by established norms or the opinions of others.
The structure is crafted from *cana-vieira* (giant reed) and *feiteira* (bracken/fern)—both classified as invasive species, yet both intrinsically linked to local culture. *Cana-vieira* was traditionally used for the internal framework of walls and as ceiling lining in stone houses, while *feiteira* served as stuffing for mattresses. In other words, they are integral components of these homes—these “human nests.”
I used over 360 reeds—one for each day of the year. There are 30 triptych-style anchor points, representing the days of the month, and to the North, I placed 7 flowers—one for each day of the week—crafted by me from canvas. These flowers are reminiscent of those commonly seen at local festivals (*arraiais*) and religious celebrations.
I filled the walls of the structure with *feiteiras*, alternating between dried and fresh fronds, creating the appearance of pine trees—as if the surrounding landscape had encroached upon the interior of the Nest. The "Great Nest" measures 5 meters in diameter and 2.5 meters in height, offering 360 centimeters of interior space for moving around or lying down. It features a circular mat made of reeds arranged radially—reminiscent of the sun—and lined with jute.
At the center lie the "eggs"—large, plush cushions arranged in an 'X' pattern, crafted by Projecto Vital from Funchal. Drawing from their fabric archives, we chose the colors of Brazil for the southern side, and for the northern side, the colors of Portugal—incorporating the red-striped fabric traditional to Madeira, which I absolutely adore. It is as if the colors of Brazil have been cast upon that red.

This project was a gift from the universe.
My gratitude goes to the ECHOO MADEIRA NATURE FEST 2026 team for the trust and support they have shown me.

SUPPORT:

Projecto Vital—special thanks to Nuno Correia for his invaluable partnership and support in this project. He co-created and produced the "egg-crate" style cushions/mats, using fabrics from the shop’s archives—adding the essential touch of comfort that the project was missing. Rua 5 de Outubro, No. 4, Funchal.
projectovital.com

Junta de Freguesia do Arco de São Jorge—special thanks to Nélio Gouveia for his support and for handling the logistics regarding the *cana-vieiras* (sugar cane stalks).