In "Vigoroso e Poderos"*, Joana Vasconcelos draws on mass-produced statuary—specifically, two lions and their respective plinths made of cement and crochet. By enveloping and confining the two lions, ancestral and universal symbols of power associated with masculine identity, in delicate crocheted coverings traditionally linked to women’s work, the artist creates an allegorical discourse that critically reflects on the contemporary status of women within the various spheres of power (political, economic, and social). When confronted with the two sculptures installed in the grand hall of the Justus Lipsius Building in Brussels, headquarters of the European Council, flanking the controlled-access entrance, one cannot help but think of the incongruity of women’s unequal access to high political office. However, the artist does not seek to adopt a traditional feminist stance, particularly that associated with first-wave feminism, which provocatively reclaimed “minor” art forms such as embroidery and ceramics, historically associated with women’s domestic tasks. It is in the title of the work—or rather, in the source that inspired it—that we find the subtle irony that gives the piece its full meaning. "Vigorous" and "Powerful" are adjectives commonly associated with physical strength and a superior hierarchical status, and therefore with masculinity, as opposed to the perceived fragility and subordinate position traditionally attributed to femininity. Yet, in this case, the sources that inspired the title of the sculptural ensemble are two river cranes from the Port of Lisbon: "A Vigorosa" and "A Poderosa" (both feminine nouns in Portuguese). Thus, "Vigoroso e Poderoso" exposes femininity as a construct, suggesting that female essence is nothing more than an internalized set of representations.