Mozambique: Filipe Branquinho opens ‘A Pente Fino’ in Maputo

An exhibition by Filipe Branquinho entitled “A Pente Fino” opened this Tuesday in the Franco-Mozambican Cultural Centre (CCFM) in Maputo.

“A Pente Fino” (With a Fine-Tooth Comb) will run until October 5, and comprises two distinct series.

B(L)ACK is a tribute to natural curly hair, presented as postcards of memories. This series praises dreadlocks and intricate braids that symbolise belonging to the community and tell stories without needing words. Branquinho uses his drawings to transform these hairstyles into symbols loaded with cultural and historical meanings.

IN GOLD WE TRUST offers an incisive critique of the greed and corruption that permeate certain segments of society. Branquinho uses the dollar bill as a central element in his drawings to explore how capital dominates and shapes our reality. The works reveal how money transforms everyday life into a spectacle of consumption and alienation, with figures that become almost intangible, reflecting a society where prestige and appearance are valued more than substantial value.

This exhibition is the first to benefit from the support of Millennium Bim, as part of a recently established partnership between the bank and the Franco-Mozambican Cultural Centre. This partnership provides financial support for exhibitions and other activities developed by the ‘Franco’, reaffirming the commitment of both institutions to the promotion of culture and art in Mozambique.