Commissioned as the inaugural exhibition at Duarte Sequeira Gallery´s Sculpture Park, Muamba Grove unfolds a narrative of organic transformation, embodying what da Silva considers as "unrooted bodies”. Vanessa da Silva's artistic exploration delves into her Brazilian heritage and the profound experiences of displacement. Working in sculpture, installation, textiles, and performance, she channels the essence of Brazilian carnival history, capoeira dance, exploring the body as a form of resistance. At the heart of da Silva's work lies the exploration into the relationship between the body and its surroundings, themes of identity and displacement, and the ever-evolving relationship between the self and its environment. The title “Muamba” draws from the Brazilian slang word that refers to smuggled goods or contraband, as well as the roots of the mangrove tree, symbolising resilience and adaptation. This series of six monumental sculptures, accompanied by a choreographed performance in collaboration with a Braga-based dance company (Arte Total), was presented in 2019 in Portugal. Since 2022, Muamba Grove #3 & #4 are presented at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, while Muamba Grove #0hue1 and #0hue2 were presented Sculpture in the City 2023, in London.