"What you've been seeing over the last few years is that there are artists looking for spaces here when spaces in Berlin or London have become too expensive," explained Pedro Gadanho, who himself left a prestigious job as a curator at MoMA in New York to return to Portugal to lead the museum. He hopes to tap into the new mix in the city so MAAT can be a platform to show Portuguese art to an international audience.
Pedro Gadanho, MAAT Director —
"What you've been seeing over the last few years is that there are artists looking for spaces here when spaces in Berlin or London have become too expensive," explained Pedro Gadanho, who himself left a prestigious job as a curator at MoMA in New York to return to Portugal to lead the museum. He hopes to tap into the new mix in the city so MAAT can be a platform to show Portuguese art to an international audience.
Mike Ghost
Filmmaker and visual artist<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.davetutti.com%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank"> David Tutti Dos Reis </a>left Lisbon for London during the crisis. He returned two years ago and now works out of a creative hub called <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todos.pt%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Todos</a> in east Lisbon. "I feel more inspired by life in general being here ... The Lisbon lifestyle doesn't have the pressure that can make you crazy," Dos Reis said.
David Tutti dos Reis, video artist —
Filmmaker and visual artist David Tutti Dos Reis left Lisbon for London during the crisis. He returned two years ago and now works out of a creative hub called Todos in east Lisbon. "I feel more inspired by life in general being here ... The Lisbon lifestyle doesn't have the pressure that can make you crazy," Dos Reis said.
Mike Ghost
Across town, the Alvalade neighbourhood is another art hotspot and is home to the respected <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.veracortes.com%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Vera Cortes</a> gallery. Two new galleries from abroad -- Miesterravalbuena from Madrid and Monitor from Rome -- also opened spaces there in May.
Vera Cortes, founder and director Galeria Vera Cortes —
Across town, the Alvalade neighbourhood is another art hotspot and is home to the respected Vera Cortes gallery. Two new galleries from abroad -- Miesterravalbuena from Madrid and Monitor from Rome -- also opened spaces there in May.
Mike Ghost
"The art scene in Lisbon is very sophisticated," said Joao Laia, a Portuguese writer and curator who currently lives in London but regularly travels back and forth to the city. "It's never had a lot of attention, but Portuguese artists are very attuned to the outside world," he added.
Joao Laia, curator and writer, Galeria Francisco Fino —
"The art scene in Lisbon is very sophisticated," said Joao Laia, a Portuguese writer and curator who currently lives in London but regularly travels back and forth to the city. "It's never had a lot of attention, but Portuguese artists are very attuned to the outside world," he added.
Mike Ghost
Hawaii-Lisbon opened in October 2016, and is one of the participating galleries in <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ifema.es%2Farcolisboa_06%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">ARCO Lisbon</a>. Larsson, who is half-Portuguese, ran a gallery in London for seven years before moving back to Portugal.
Mikael Larsson, owner of Hawaii Lisbon Gallery —
Hawaii-Lisbon opened in October 2016, and is one of the participating galleries in ARCO Lisbon. Larsson, who is half-Portuguese, ran a gallery in London for seven years before moving back to Portugal.
Mike Ghost
Graphic designer Frederico Mancellos co-founded creative hub <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todos.pt%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Todos</a> in 2013 as Portugal grappled with the recession. He was getting "less and less" work, so he and business partner Frederico Miranda decided to build something of their own -- and invited other creatives to come and work with them. Today, Todos is home to 62 independent creatives of all kinds -- photographers, film editors, sound engineers, web designers, makeup artists, furniture restorers -- all working side-by-side under one roof making all sorts of creative output from music videos to advertising campaigns.
Federico Mancellos, co-founder of creative hub Todos —
Graphic designer Frederico Mancellos co-founded creative hub Todos in 2013 as Portugal grappled with the recession. He was getting "less and less" work, so he and business partner Frederico Miranda decided to build something of their own -- and invited other creatives to come and work with them. Today, Todos is home to 62 independent creatives of all kinds -- photographers, film editors, sound engineers, web designers, makeup artists, furniture restorers -- all working side-by-side under one roof making all sorts of creative output from music videos to advertising campaigns.
Mike Ghost
Xabregas is a gallery district full of Portuguese contemporary art. It includes spaces like <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gfilomenasoares.com%2Fen" target="_blank" target="_blank">Galeria Filomena Soares</a>, <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.muriascenteno.com%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Murias | Centeno</a> and locally renowned <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbregastudio%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Bregas</a>, a studio space where artists Joao Pedro Vale and Nuno Alexandre Ferreira host open weekends every few months.
Galeria Filomena Soares Lisbon —
Xabregas is a gallery district full of Portuguese contemporary art. It includes spaces like Galeria Filomena Soares, Murias | Centeno and locally renowned Bregas, a studio space where artists Joao Pedro Vale and Nuno Alexandre Ferreira host open weekends every few months.
Mike Ghost