Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) and the Serralves Foundation are inaugurating the exhibition "Mãos sobre a cidade: Investigações artísticas no meio urbano", which brings together national and international artists, designed for the UCP's four campuses, and which reflects on life in the city.
Inaugurated on 23 January at the Amélia de Mello Foundation Gallery at Católica's headquarters in Lisbon, the exhibition "looks at the relationship between art, citizenship and democracy", explains Isabel Capeloa Gil, UCP's Rector.
Defending "the democratisation of Portuguese access to contemporary art", the Minister of Culture, Pedro Adão e Silva, praised the initiative of Serralves and Católica, stressing the importance of "two institutions mobilising to show art and take it to the country".
"It has been very gratifying for Serralves to be able to bring this relationship with the Catholic University closer together," said Ana Pinho, Chairman of the Foundation's Board of Directors, who described this exhibition as a "new and enriching experience" as it was held on all four of UCP's campuses.
UCP's Rector also reiterated the country's need to "preserve the heritage of the past, give artists the chance to develop their artistic activity and create and develop audiences".
Comprising works from the Serralves Collection from the 1960s to the present day, including drawing, collage, sculpture, photography, street posters, sound and video pieces, the exhibition centres on the work of artists who explore different aspects of this complex reality, portraying and intervening in the street.
"Mãos sobre a cidade" is on display at the Amélia de Mello Foundation Gallery at the UCP headquarters in Lisbon and can be visited every working day from 14h00 to 17h00.
