Portas de Rodão was a meeting point for the first Paleolithic communities, who began to roam the Tejo valley 250 thousand years ago. Currently, they are flanked by desertified lands where eucalyptus monoculture absorbs the rhythm of the locals, transforming ecosystems while inverting the hydrological cycle, given the industrial control of the river's flow by its dams. Escuta do Tempo Profundo (Deep Time Soundings) presents part of Margarida Mendes' artistic research on the ecological context of the Tejo over several years. Following a community of activists who monitor the course of the Tejo River, events are narrated around Vila Velha de Rodão, considered the epicenter of environmental crimes. By interweaving testimonies from river guardians with notes on the riverside landscape and deep listening practices, Margarida Mendes expands our understanding of environmental mourning and an ecosystem going through a profound transformation.

Margarida Mendes is a researcher, artist, curator, and educator. Her practice explores ecological mediation, focusing on the intersection between visual arts, experimental cinema, sound practices, and environmental humanities.