Artistas negras porto-alegrenses: o processo criativo de artistas negras de Porto Alegre e sua contribuição para aprimorar a abordagem de design feminista

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the protagonism of Black women artists from Porto Alegre and how their creative processes contribute to the concept of feminist design. The research stems from the lack of references that acknowledge these women as protagonists in the artistic and academic fields. To address this gap, it discusses concepts such as art, Black feminism, Black creativity, and feminist design, drawing on authors like bell hooks, Angela Davis, Joice Berth, Lélia Gonzalez, and Sasha Costanza-Chock. The core question is to understand how the creative processes of these artists interact with feminist design approaches. The research, qualitative in nature, involved a bibliographic review and in-depth interviews with four Black artists: Fayola Ferreira, Karla Oliveira, Mitti Mendonça, and Pâmela Zorn. The narratives reveal creative strategies and the strength of collectivity as a tool for resistance. The results indicate that, although the Black population represents the majority in Brazil, its presence in the cultural sector does not reflect this proportion, especially in spaces of valorization. Given this, this dissertation reinforces the importance of giving visibility to these productions, recording histories and processes that, connected to feminist and anti-racist perspectives, contribute to transforming realities. It is concluded that the creative process of the artists offers powerful paths to improve the approach of feminist design, reinforcing that there is no innovation without inclusion and Black feminism.