Roças of São Tomé: an almost [lost] treasure

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Photographer

Filippo Poli
Date of Photograph

september 2016
Technical Info

dig. b-w & b-w long exposure
Socials
Website

https://filippopoli.com/

In the mid XIX century, the island of São Tomé and Principe, a former colony Portuguese in Africa come to be the world’s largest cocoa exporter. The production system stood up, between ups and downs, until 1975 when the forgetfulness has fallen on this earth. A surprising architectural heritage is however still left: the “roças”, a Portuguese term that indicates the latifundist complex system that changed the history of this small country. These architectures, in Portuguese and European architectural style, were a symbol of power, an off-limits area for the workers who were subjected to exhausting organization shifts and to the submission to the landlord. The photographic narration of about thirty roças photographed with long exposure in order to restore the idea of untouchability tries to reconstruct the memory of these places documenting the current reality and bringing to light this architectural heritage that is about to disappear forever.

Biography

Filippo Poli, architect, has been working as a photographer since 2008. His personal projects explore the cultural landscape and the evolving relationship between humans and nature. His work has been featured in leading magazines. He has received numerous accolades and his work has been exhibited at events and exhibitions such as, Enaire Foundation, PhotoEspaña (2017, 2025), Venice Biennale, Climate Summit, ARCO Madrid, Deutsches Architekturmuseum and the Vila Casas Foundation.
Awards

Selected Awards • 2025: Arles Festival OFF, finalist, Prix Révélation Saif X La Kabine • 2025: Finalist, Coca Award • 2025: Finalist, Fundación Enaire Photography Award • 2025: Winner, 5th National Contest for New Photographic Creation Expositivos, León • 2025: Selected, Art Photo BCN portfolio review • 2025: Selected, Grief Guest Room • 2021: First Prize, Architecture Photography Master Prize • 2017: First Prize, Fundación Enaire Photography Contest • 2017: Honorable Mention, IPA Prize • 2015: Honorable Mention, Monochrome Awards • 2014: Third Prize, PX3 Paris • 2012: First Prize, ArchTriumph International Architectural Photography • 2011: Mention, Photography Masters Cup • 2009: Mentions: PX3 Paris, IPA Prize, Garden Photographer, Photography Masters Cup, Snowden Prize (Australia) Selected Exhibitions • 2025 (November): Solo show, Sala Palacín, León • 2025 (October): Dispara, Pontevedra • 2025 (September): C Arte C, PhotoEspaña, Madrid • 2024: Appartenenza, Cesenatico, Perimetro • 2023: Abitare la Vacanza, Ministry of Culture of Italy, Piombino • 2022: Richard Photo District, Perimetro, Museo Mudec, Milan • 2019: Conciencia², Climate Summit (COP25), Fundación Enaire, Madrid • 2018: Naves de Gamazo, Fundación Enaire (permanent collection) • 2018: ARCO Madrid, commissioned by Fundación Enaire • 2017: PhotoEspaña, Instituto Cervantes, Madrid • 2017: Architekturbild, Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt • 2017: Fundació Vila Casas, Barcelona • 2015: Architettura Sintattica, 10 Italian photographers portray modern architecture in Milan • 2014: Italian Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Asnago Vender a Milano, curated by Cino Zucchi • 2014: Venice Biennale, Zingonia Mon-Amour, curated by Rem Koolhaas • 2009: Snowden Gallery, Perth, Australia • 2009: Project Basho, Philadelphia, USA • 2007: Monumentale Museo a Cielo Aperto, Monumental Cemetery, Milan