From October 17 to March 1, 2025. 
Madeira Ethnographic Museum, Ribeira Brava. 
This exhibition is the result of the collection and practical study of two silvopastoral (ACGSP) sheep herds, two wool spinners, Isabel da Eira and Isabel Ferreira, and a repertoire of knitting/crocheting.

Its objective is to showcase wool, a regional raw material, throughout its complete and entire cycle, from grazing to its transformation into objects, highlighting its connection to nature and the fundamental role of humans in this process.

The exhibition route covers wool’s journey, from the plant and animal world to its integration into culture. By recognizing this heritage and affirming its value, the exhibition suggests a contemporary interpretation of wool and the traditions associated with it, using artistic experiences. The recreated path in the museum space seeks to understand what already existed in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, what persists today, and what may emerge in the future, while considering the current reality. It is an intimate encounter between the visitor and wool.

The exhibition is divided into two sections: In the first, we generically titled "Archetype", the public are invited to take a journey that begins with the "barrete de orelhas" (ear-flap cap), an emblematic piece of Madeira, which in its current form dates to the 19th century. Made with local sheep’s wool and using the knitting technique, the cap is a testament to the people’s history, daily life, challenges, values, culture, craftsmanship and the culture of know-how. This space results from research dedicated to the historical origin of the cap, referring to its original form.

The journey continues with the large public sheep shearings that occur in Madeira’s Poiso Forest Perimeter, organized by the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (IFCN) and the Association of Livestock Breeders of the Poiso Highlands (ACGSP). The shearing is celebrated as a true festivity. The journey passes through the homes of women who still work with wool in various localities, especially the spinners and knitters connected to shepherding, located in areas adjacent to Poiso. Along this path, visitors encounter many objects, artifacts, and processes unique to the island.

Today, the wool from the mountain sheep is not commercially sold, but there are still local sheep, without a defined breed, known as "ours", "the small ones", "the local

ones", or "the Marias". These sheep carry not only the weight of their coats but also the memories, customs, traditions, and know-how of the people.

In the second space, the "Prototype", a practical study of the local sheep’s wool is presented. Conducted in 2023 and 2024, the study focused on the sheep grazing in silvopastoral systems, involving two herds from the Association of Livestock Breeders of the Poiso Highlands, totaling around 1,000 sheep. Each herd has its own shearing day, which occurs once a year in June. The wool is collected during the shearings, but most of it is not used, with only a small portion being utilized by the island’s artisans.

The main goal of the study was to find practical solutions to prevent wool waste, in this sense, wool was used as a learning tool for children and adults. Its application in agriculture (as covering, fertilizer, and compost) was experimented with, and the wool cycle was demonstrated to primary school students in Campanário. There was also collaboration in sustainability-related activities in the region, using wool to address environmental issues. These activities took place at the Artisan's Space, managed by the Ribeira Brava City Council, where the collective held an artist residency in preparation for this exhibition.

The study was based on fieldwork with sheep breeders and artisans to better understand the traditional processing of wool. Rosa Pomar (Lisbon), a researcher of Portuguese wool, participated in the project to contextualize Madeira’s wool within the national framework, analyzing traditional processing methods and comparing them with the reality and practices on mainland Portugal. For this, apreparatory phase titled "Velo" was created and began with the 2023 shearing and was funded by the Regional Secretariat for Economy, Tourism, and Culture through the Madeira Ethnographic Museum, in partnership with the Ribeira Brava City Council through the Artisan's Space.

This second exhibition space represents a series of prototypes and artistic interpretations, seeking to demonstrate the potential uses of wool from the Poiso Highlands, from furniture to clothing. All prototypes and samples were produced from regional wool.

Technical Details:
Curators: Irina Andrusko | Lídia Góes Ferreira
Museographic Project: Irina Andrusko | Lídia Góes Ferreira | Márcio Ribeiro | Rafaela Rodrigues
Graphic Design: Márcio Ribeiro (DRC)
Iconographic and Bibliographic Research: César Ferreira, Lídia Góes Ferreira (MEM); Irina Andrusko, Luz Ornelas (“COLETIVO ENFIA O BARRETE”)
Field Research: Ágata Xavier; Florêncio Pereira, César Ferreira (MEM); Irina Andrusko, Luz Ornelas (COLETIVO ENFIA O BARRETE); Rafaela Rodrigues; Rosa Pomar
Texts: Irina Andrusko
Translation: Cláudia Noronha
Text Review: Dalila Fernandes, Lídia Góes Ferreira
Photography: Ágata Xavier; António Aragão and Artur Andrade, Heritage Defense and Promotion Office of the Region, Regional Secretariat for Education and Culture; Artur Pastor, Lisbon Municipal Archive; Florêncio Pereira, MEM; Irina Andrusko; Magno Bettencourt (Coletivo "Enfia o Barrete"); Jorge Freitas Branco, Heritage Defense and Promotion Office of the Region, Regional Secretariat for Education and Culture; Madeira Photography Museum, Atelier Vicente, in deposit at ABM
Video: Production, Direction, and Editing: Rui Dantas
Artistic Installation: Joana Freitas (Aura)
Assembly: Fernando Libano, Florêncio Pereira, João Carlos Terra-Boa (MEM) and the Enfia o Barrete Collective team
Mediation: Nélia Reis, Rafaela Rodrigues and Enfia o Barrete Collective
Free Entry.