A Voyage to the Land of the Crocodile

The Rui Cunha Foundation opens on Tuesday, July 22nd at 6:30 pm, a Photography Exhibition of East Timor titled “A Voyage to the Land of the Crocodile in the Year of the Serpent”, by Cristiana Figueiredo(Photos) and Bibi Ain (Texts). The display is the result of a journey of discovery, for one, and of reunion, for the other, earlier this year.

Subtitled “People. Places. Things”, the exhibition includes 25 photographs that visually reveal what the texts describe about emotions imbued in the small details of the journey. According to the authors, «at the beginning of 2025, we embarked on a journey to East Timor. For one of us, it was the roots of home, the embrace of loved ones, the reappearance of sweet and fragile memories. For the other, it was stepping into a history book and feeling the welcome of the unknown».

«The journey was an intimate and awe-inspiring peek into East Timor, where seemingly disparate perspectives came together to create new perspectives on the people and places of this small wondrous country», the traveling duo reveal in their manifesto. Cristiana Figueiredo adds that «from behind the lens, I witnessed the transformation from shy demeanors to generous tropical smiles that unlocked fleeting intimate glimpses. I encountered a landscape that surrendered itself to be captured from the window of a drive-by car on a bumpy road or from a quiet moment of feet buried in warm sand caressed by the sound of lapping waves. Sharing this unforgettable experience through the photographs in this exhibition is my love letter to East Timor».

Cristiana Figueiredo‘s life is a tapestry woven across three continents, according to her biography. «Born in Angola, she spent her formative years in Portugal. In the quiet afternoons after school, browsing through her parents’ art encyclopedias ignited her passion for the arts, an early fascination that inspired her to pursue several short courses in art history, drawing, and painting, and to take up photography, laying the groundwork for her creative journey. After completing her Sociology degree at Porto University, Cristiana’s life led her to Macau, where, for the past 23 years, she was a local F&B entrepreneur, with her creativity shifting into graphic design, branding and interior design. Recently, Cristiana became a full-time visual creator, exploring various media, continually capturing the world around her and reimagining it through her lens, her brushes and her computer».

Bibi Ain‘s life, meanwhile, is a tapestry woven across three countries: East Timor, Australia and China. Born in Timor-Leste, he spent his formative years in Australia. He has studied Art, Art History, Film and Television, English and Italian Literature, Architecture, Business Administration and, finally, Tourism Management. He has served his country as a Diplomat for the past thirty years. Bibi Ain, his stage name, is derived from the Tetun word ‘bibi’ (goat), and ‘ain’ (foot). «Like a kid goat who jumps about everywherewith excitement looking for a new adventure, my family nicknamed me with this moniker to reflect my wanderlust», he explains.