Casa das Palmeiras

Casa das Palmeiras was built in 1956, with doors and windows open for the insane. And I used to hear: “You are out of your mind, a disaster is bound to happen”. Disasters do happen, what’s to be done? But Casa is open. Freedom does not harm anyone.
– Luiz Carlos Mello (2014)

Casa das Palmeiras is a clinic conceived based on the concern of Dr. Nise da Silveira with the high rate of readmissions in the psychiatric hospital. It was founded by Nise with the collaboration of psychiatrist Maria Stela Braga, artist Belah Paes Leme, social worker Ligia Loureiro, and educator Alzira Lopes Cortes.
The house is a small territory of affective human relationships and creative activities where clients have the chance to perform their expressive work spontaneously, which makes their coming into contact with life easier. One of its clients was Darcílio Lima, born in the state of Ceará, whose creation, full of mythical and religious motifs, struck Nise da Silveira, who introduced him to artist and professor Ivan Serpa. From then on, his career gained momentum, and he reached the status of exponent of surrealist art in Brazil.