The exhibition “The Day Opens My Eyes” presented part of the research work of photographer Rafael Oliveira a.k.a. Oxyretronave, curated and directed by José Cabaço. 24 compositions and 345 photographs in postcard format were presented in an old space in Carvalhal, a disused café, during the Terrafoundation Warm-Up.
Invited to be the first resident artist in Terrafoundation’s residency programme, Terra Creative, Rafael de Oliveira spent several days in November 2022 immersed in the territory of the Comporta area, mapping it and recording a kaleidoscope of images with his camera. His gaze was then the subject of creative intervention by José Cabaço, who selected the photographs and – in collaboration with the author – recombined some of them, and intervened in others.
The title of the exhibition refers to the book by José Tolentino Mendonça, entitled “The Night Opens My Eyes” – but instead of being inspired by the night, Rafael worked only during the day, exploring the impact of the gradations of light caused by the intense sun of the Comporta area.
The 24 composite works and the 345 photographs in postcard format are represented by the Lisbon Gallery, in a limited edition of 3+1. All proceeds go towards the artist and to Terra Creative, Terrafoundation’s artistic residency programme. Find out more about each one here.
Invited by the curatorial direction of the 14th edition of the Design Miami/Basel fair, experimentadesign/Lisbon Gallery presented Common Sense in Basel between the 11th and 16th of June, 2019. This exhibition marked the first time Portugal was represented within the central pavilion of Design Miami/Basel, which takes place during Art Basel, the most important art fair in the world. Designed by experimentadesign and produced by ArtWorks, the exhibition was part of the Satellite Projects section and presented a total of 13 pieces created by the 7 designers that were invited to be part of the project.
Common Sense is a product design collection that explores ideas concerning everyday objects and utensils made out of Portuguese stone. It is the result of a process that delves into themes associated with the relationship between design and natural materials, and its subsequent role in contemporary society. The project also calls for contemplation on the idea of common sense and simplicity, both of which are sometimes lost in times of great technological advances and formal and functional complexity.
Common Sense brings the skills and talents of some of the world’s leading designers to stone. To see geology transformed with such honesty, simplicity and elegance provides a reassuring and visceral response to Elements: Earth, the theme of this year’s Design Miami/Basel, which looks at how designers are reimagining materials, resources and making at a time when human activity is changing the nature of our planet.
Aric Chen, Curatorial Director – Design Miami/Basel
This participation at Design Miami/Basel 2019 was possible thanks to a partnership between experimentadesign/Lisbon Gallery and ArtWorks/Galerie Vertbois 5.
Design Miami/Basel
Hall 1 Süd, Messe Basel, Switzerland
Lisbon Gallery presents “Lizbon in Zurich” in partnership with the Brand New World Salon.
This exhibition features some of the most important figures of Portuguese and international contemporary architecture and design scene such as Amanda Levete, Bruno MM, Claudia Moreira Salles, Eneida Tavares, Fernando Brízio, Geckeler Michels, Jasper Morrison, Jorge Carreira, Joschua Brunn, Manuel Amaral Netto, Michael Anastassiades, Miguel Vieira Baptista, Naoto Fukasawa and Vítor Agostinho.
“Lizbon in Zurich” presents pieces that were mainly created through projects commissioned by experimentadesign: pieces integrating the latest “First Stone” programme (2016 – 2017), the “Metamorphosis” project presented at the EXD’13 Biennale or even the project “Efeito D” for the EXD’09 Biennale. The exhibition shows also pieces of independent projects created by designers constituting the pool of Lisbon Gallery Design & Architecture.
Most of the selected works were produced in Portugal, using national raw materials, like the stone or the cork. The preference over natural and organic materials or with a certain weight and history, projects in itself an identifying characteristic of the Lisbon Gallery: its investment in the area of sustainability and innovation.
By having its pieces positioned once again in a worldwide context, the Lisbon Gallery gets a step closer to the international approach it has been claiming, as a way to disseminate its content and to promote the design mostly made in Portugal.
The Lisbon Gallery Design & Architecture opened with 32 pieces that involve a strong component of research and innovation, created by some of the most relevant Portuguese and international protagonists within the field of design and architecture: Amanda Levete, Claudia Moreira Salles, Fernando Brízio, Fernando and Humberto Campana, Jasper Morrison, Michael Anastassiades, Miguel Vieira Baptista and Naoto Fukasawa.
FIRST presents pieces that were mainly created through projects commissioned by experimentadesign between 2009 and 2017. All the works are produced in Portugal and commercialized in limited series or standard editions.
Through a careful selection of designers and pieces, Lisbon Gallery develops projects that encourage the connection between design and architecture, using craftsmanship and industrial techniques, with a special focus on the exploration of different types of materials and the new technologies that have become available for their transformation.
This kind of experimental approach projects in itself an identifying characteristic of the Lisbon Gallery, reflecting its investment in the area of sustainability and innovation.
The Lisbon Gallery Design & Architecture presents the “Polaroid” exhibition, a selection of 13 projects with strong personalities, developed by a group of designers who represent part of a new generation operating in Portugal.
The proposals of BrunoMMCarvalho, Eneida Tavares, Estúdio Mulato, Geckeler Michels, Gonçalo Campos, João Margarido, Jorge Carreira, Joschua Brunn, Manuel Amaral Netto, Paulo Sellmayer, Rita Martins and Vítor Agostinho manifest a strong awareness of the contemporary everyday life, reflecting the various routines of the daily lifestyle.
Being a group of national and international designers, they express their preference for the Portuguese production – with the exception of a project, all the exhibited pieces were produced in Portugal – leading to an image of renovation and amplification of the Portuguese design market.
Along with this exhibition and commissioned by the Lisbon Gallery, we present the Polaroid Series, a limited edition of Nuno Sousa Dias. The photographer produced 200 polaroid records of the objects exhibited at the gallery in Lisbon. Each piece, or group of pieces was photographed 5 times over 48 hours.