Blessed Rue Artwork

The work is part of a series of visual representations of blessings, spells and divinations practices found in Brazil. This specific work relates to the blessing (benzedura) with the herb rue (Erva de Arruda) as a traditonal practice used to ward off the “evil eye” or negatve energies caused by envy or excessive admiration. To perform it, you take a sprig of rue and a glass of water, dip the rue sprig in the water, and make the sign of the cross from the person’s head to their feet whilst saying a prayer. After the ritual, you throw away the water and the rue sprig, preferably outside the house. This process is repeated for three to seven consecutive days. The practice is based on the belief that rue has protective and purifying properties, helping to eliminate negative energies.