ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

“Portuguese Contemporary Crafts and Creation” exhibition celebrates the encounter between tradition and innovation, bringing together the work of Portuguese artisans who, with skilful hands and a contemporary vision, give a new face to Portugal's ancestral crafts. In this small exhibition, we've put together some examples of different materials and techniques that have defined Portugal's rich craftsmanship for centuries: basketry, ceramics, wood, textiles, embroidery, cutlery and glass.

Each selected piece is a living testimony to a cultural heritage that spans generations but refuses to be static. Side by side, we have young artisans and artisans with many years of experience, all of whom have in common the reinterpretation of ancient traditional knowledge and fuse it with new aesthetic approaches, thus resulting in creations that dialogue with the present without losing the link with the past.

In basketry, we see how natural fibers, expertly interwoven, take on contemporary forms reimagining the usefulness of one of humanity's oldest crafts. Ceramics are expressed through minimalist lines, but with the vibrant soul of (sometimes) local clays, paying homage to their long history of functional and artistic forms.

Wood, worked with precision and care, appears in pieces that balance robustness and delicacy, while textiles and embroidery mix old manual techniques with new patterns and colors, reflecting a new generation that challenges the limits of tradition. Cutlery, with its sharp blades and carefully sculpted handles, reveals the thoroughness and dedication that have always characterized this craft in the Portuguese context.

Finally, glass - shaped by fire and blowing - takes on unusual forms, resulting in creations that capture shapes in innovative ways, without forgetting the glassmaking heritage of regions such as Marinha Grande.

“Portuguese Contemporary Crafts and Creation” is more than just a small exhibition of objects: it is a celebration of the persistence and reinvention of Portuguese handicrafts, an invitation to look to the future without losing sight of our roots. Here, the hands of artisans become bridges between yesterday and tomorrow, where each piece tells a story - of tradition, creativity and identity.

CURATED BY

Astrid Suzano - Passa Ao Futuro

COORDINATION LisboN

Passa Ao Futuro 

COORDINATION TENERIFE

SoGood Stuff

TEXTS

Passa Ao Futuro

TRANSLATION

Iris Mir Navajas

GRAPHIC Design

SoGood Stuff

EXHIBITION Design

Passa Ao Futuro 
SoGood Stuff

PRINTING & exhibition set up

Bobet Canarias
Somos Imagen

AKNOWLEDGMENTS

Ana Sincu
André Panóias
Catarina Tudella
Célia Esteves
Eneida Tavares
Filipa Won
Helena Novelleto
Isaac & Diogo
João Graça
João Xará
Mariana Filipe
Nuno Henriques
Samuel Cabrera
Samuel Reis
Sónia Mendez
Susana Mendez
Telmo Roque
Vitor Agostinho

PHOTOS

Enrique Guillermo