Lisbon Art Guide - December

In December, Lisbon as well as other cities, is preparing itself for Christmas celebrations. In the galleries, there is not much movement and the majority of them are preparing their season sales or other special offers before the New Year will arrive. Although, it’s beautiful moment of the year to visit the city, there are only two exhibitions I would like to recommend this month. Trust me, 2018 will be fresh and exciting again, I already know it!

I.

Exhibition: Revisão da Matéria Dada
Artists: Albano Afonso / Sandra Cinto, Albano Silva Pereira, Albuquerque Mendes, Ana Vieira, Efrain Almeida, Eliane Duarte, Gonçalo Pena, João Galrão, Jorge Vieira, Joaquim Rodrigo, Lygia Pape, Miguel Soares, Nelson Leirner, Noronha da Costa, Nuno Ramalho, Nuno Sousa Vieira, Pedro Tudela, Rita McBride, Rui Chafes
Venue: Galeria Graça Brandão
Dates: Until January 13th, 2018

This exhibition is a perfect possibility to learn more about Portuguese contemporary art between 1980 and 2015. It’s built as a memory book of its curator and the owner of the gallery - José Mário Brandão. By visiting ‘Revisão da Matéria Dada’ we can try to understand his personal taste and approach to art. To me, it’s like a catalogue of art, presented in the gallery space and a lesson about variable and constant trends in local art. 

Nelson Leirner, Yes, nos temos bananas, 2005, Galeria Graça Brandao

II.

Exhibition: Tracção e Compressão simples entre limit
Artist: Pedro Calapez
Venue: Galeria Belo-Galsterer
Dates: Until January 20th, 2018

For the occasion of 5th Anniversary of the gallery Belo-Galsterer, visitors can see a solo exhibition of one of the most well-known Portuguese painters - Pedro Calapez. His practice is related with colors and abstract shapes, which usually cover aluminum elements in various dimensions. This time, artworks were specially prepared for the gallery space. All the details are precisely measured and planned in rooms. The artist takes us for a journey through the limits of form and approaches towards painting.

Pedro Calapez, Hit the road, 2017, Galeria Belo-Galsterer

Wish you all Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Hope to see you in Lisbon in the artsy year of 2018. 

Take a tour with Katarzyna in Lisbon to discover more!
 

Lisbon Art Guide - October

After a busy September full of new exhibitions, it’s time for even more events. What I recommend, is to follow and visit various art festivals in the city. Besides the one which I mention below, check out Temps d'Images Lisboa, which is dedicated to performative and visual arts in an experimental and interdisciplinary way. Secondly, doclisboa a film festival with the aim to search for a freedom in film and explore the new problems that cinematic image implies.

I

Exhibition: 8.ª Abertura de Ateliês de Artistas
Artists: Various Artists
Venue: Various Locations 
Dates: 13th to the 15th of October, 2017

Between 13th and 15th of October there will be an amazing opportunity to visit artists studios in Lisbon. It’s eight edition of the event, which is called 8.ª Abertura de Ateliês de Artistas and there are more than eighty participants opening their ateliers in order to introduce visitors to what they do. It will be great opportunity for research about Portuguese artists of all mediums, styles and age. Also, perfect occasion to learn more about not touristic spots and neighborhoods of the capital.

8.ª Abertura de Ateliês de Artistas

II

Exhibition: Sottile sfumatura di rumore
Artist: João Ferro Martins
Venue: Galeria 3+1 Arte Contemporânea 
Dates: Until November 11th, 2017

Sottile sfumatura di rumore is a solo exhibition by João Ferro Martins, one of my favourite Portuguese artists. In this project he transformed the gallery space into a film set, full of unpredictable objects, making connections between them and his previous artworks. Visiting it is like a game, a puzzle for the viewer, what happened here or what will happen in the future? The works reflect a rich universe and the disquieting formal exploration that Ferro Martins pursues in sci-fi, technique, notions of performance and art history in a production that points generically to cinematographic practice. 

3+1 JFM Untitled -green light 2017.

III

Exhibition: Bill Fontana. Shadow Soundings. 
Artists: Bill Fontana
Venue: MAAT- Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia
Dates: Until December 2nd, 2018

In Oval Gallery of MAAT visitors can find a new sound and video installation by American artist, Bill Fontana, which was created especially for Lisbon. The exhibition space is built of seven projections with dynamic sound and a livestreaming video component. Fontana used sonority from the 25th of April Bridge which crosses the Tagus river (iconic symbols of Lisbon) and amplified them until they acquired a musical quality. 

Bill Fontana. Shadow Soundings. 2017.MAAT.

Lisbon Art Guide - September

September in Lisbon is a time of new openings and end of summer shows. It’s the perfect moment for coming to the city and exploring the local art scene. This month is always full of openings and fresh, inspiring projects. On the one hand we can observe well-known galleries starting autumn exhibition season, on the other hand there are a variety of smaller art festivals and new projects to come out. By being here in September you can observe vibrant Portuguese art in its best moment of the year. 

I. 

Exhibition: Bairro das Artes
Artists: various artists
Venue: various venues
Dates: 21st of September 2017 | 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Bairro das Artes (Arts Quarter) is annual event since 2010, which gathers more than 30 galleries. It’s occasion to enjoy the best art during one evening, when institutions prolong their opening hours or prepare a new show to begin that day. Event is located on one of seven hills of Lisbon, so it’s easy and comfortable to stroll around it. Neighborhoods of São Bento, Bairro Alto and Chiado are full of spots for hipster hang outs, so after art there is always something to do. 

II. 

Exhibition: NEW WORK
Artists: Binelde Hyrcan, Tiago Alexandre, Dealmeida Esilva, Horácio Frutuoso, Nikolai Nekh
Venue: Balcony Gallery | Rua Coronel Bento Roma 12 A, Lisboa
Dates: 21st of September to November 11th 

Balcony Gallery is the newest contemporary art gallery in Lisbon. On 20th of September they will open their doors for the first time. The idea is to promote young Portuguese and international art scene. Gallery will organize six exhibitions per year, both collective and individual, highlighting the first solo exhibitions of young artists and the regular presentation of new names in dialogue with the artists represented by the gallery. NEW WORK exhibition is the first show, in which all the represented artists will participate and create new artworks dedicated to gallery’s space. 

III.

Exhibition: Portugal em Flagrante: Operation 1, 2 and 3
Artist: various artists
Venue: Modern Collection, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Dates: until 18th November 

“Portugal em Flagrante” is a semi-permanent exhibition of the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian’s Modern Collection designed to offer an introduction to the history of art and culture in Portugal during the twentieth century. The exhibition occupies three floors of gallery and presents institution’s collection for the first time in 25 years. Order of exhibition is chronological and organized with specific forms of expression: paper, painting and sculpture. All the artworks are accompanied with introduction abouttimesthey were made and the cultural background of Portugal back then.
It’s perfect choice for those who would like to understand more about modern and contemporary art in Portugal. 

Take a private tour with Katarzyna in Lisbon to discover more!