Mamba de Jameson

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“Mamba de Jameson” (Jameson's mamba) by Ateliê Contencioso, 2015
Pensão Amor
Rua Nova do Carvalho
Lisbon, April 2019

“We head to Rua Rosa, in Cais do Sodré, the centre of Lisbon’s nightlife. The Lisbon’s Snake Woman runs across the entire façade of Pensão Amor, a place that used to hold burlesque shows and nowadays is a dance floor for old and new hits. Ateliê Contencioso – formed by visual artists Ana Velez, Joana Gomes, Maria Sassetti and Xana Sousa – was inspired by the story of a beautiful and brave prostitute, named Destemida (Fearless), who fell in love with an Irish sailor, Thomas. This sailor had a magic beverage, the drink of happiness. Just a few sips of this golden liquid would bring a renewed life to any man. Afraid that the beverage would run out, men started spreading the rumour that if any woman took a sip of that liquid, she would cry for the rest of her life. They all believed it, except for Destemida. Be it for their immense beauty or for too much sips of the magic liquid, Thomas and Destemida lived a blind passion. For weeks no one saw them, and rumours about Destemida’s power of enchantment grew among the people. But one day, Destemida woke up alone. She went mad. She went out to the street naked, wearing nothing but a crochet shawl, that she had since she was a child. She searched in Taverns, alleys, decks and other beds, but she found no sign of the Irishman. Desperate and not knowing where to go, Destemida turned into fish scales and feathers to search through sea and air for her sailor. For 150 moons she travelled the earth in a vain search, and when she gave up, she became the Jameson’s Mamba snake, sliding through the trees of the peer until she curled around the room in Pensão Amor where they loved each other. To this day, whenever the Lisbon´s Snake Woman senses the crowds around Rua Rosa, she gazes around hopping to see her lover.” (Lisbon’s Snake Woman in Cais do Sodré Pink Street, BestExperience Lisbon)