Cripto·gráfico is a graphic and textual research on the narrative and representations of the scariest Brazilian folkloric tales. The project's initial focus was on those with presence in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This was materialized in a set of publications and memorabilia. The research was initially designed with a methodology of classification and organization of those creatures, based on the studies of the Brazilian folklorist Luís da Câmara Cascudo.
The project focuses on illustrated narratives as a way to give visibility to Brazilian popular culture and to rescue a symbolic memory that isn't valued in Brazil. An illustrated system composed of books and memorabilia, such as postcards and shirts, was developed as a way to make reference in different semantic levels, to the story and main characteristics of each of those folkloric tales.
Folklore is a key element in the definition of a national identity, it's a product of each society's social and historical process. Although there's been recent attempts to include some of these characters in Brazilian horror productions, still very little is known about the frightening side of our folkloric tales. After all, most of the horror media consumed in Brazil doesn’t have national origins. The project seeks to revive these tales in our collective imagination and highlight the ever changing aspect of these folkloric myths.