Bombarda inaugurates artworks in the galleries and recalls Paula Rego in the streets

Between 4pm and 8pm this Saturday, July 1st, Miguel Bombarda’s block (Porto Art District) receives the fourth cycle of Simultaneous Inaugurations in 2023.

The initiative presents new exhibitions in the contemporary art galleries, and new collections in the exhibition, commercial and alternative spaces, joined by free entertainment organised by the Municipal company Ágora.

In this edition, the works of the artist Paula Rego (1935-2022), developed in partnership with COMbART, international conference about art, activism, and citizenship co-organised by professors and investigators Paula Guerra (University of Porto), and Ricardo Campos (Nova University Lisbon).

In the pedestrian area between the streets of Miguel Bombarda and Boa Nova, an open class called “This country is not for women. Trajectories, disruptions (re)existences of Paula Rego”, directed by Paula Guerra, will take place between 4pm and and 5pm.

Throughout the afternoon, visitors will be able to watch the performance “Only through doing can one discover what one does. Today, on this street, we will all be Paulas. The body never forgets”, by Bia Petrus in collaboration with the project Artivismo, a creation fostered by the workshops capaciARTE by REDES CLDS 4G and coordinated by the Cerebral Palsy Oporto Association, the Service Centre, Monitoring and Social Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities, and the Epifania Collective (a group that is interested in thinking, talking, and performing about human rights through artistic invention).

A terceira proposta dedicada à artista luso-britânica será a roda de conversa "Referências sobre Paula Rego", orientada pelo projeto Mad’Zine.

The third proposal dedicated to the Portuguese-British artist will be the conversation circle “References on Paula Rego”, guided by the project Mad’Zine.

Workshops, guided tours, music, and tote bags for the public

Apart from the area of the Miguel Bombarda Street, next to Palácio do Cristal, there will also be the usual DJ set, this team sponsored by the Porto’s MVRIA, and also a workshop of ceramics organised by Crivart.

On the opposite side of the street, in the pedestrian are that connects to the Cedofeita Street, there will be two more workshops: “Immigration is a labyrinth. A labyrinth of concrete where the sky is unseeable”, a session of the cartography of affection and creative writing by Sofia Sousa and Paulo Rodrigues Júnior, and “Embroider the street. Mark the soul”, an action of collaborative embroidery, of which Sofia Sousa and Danielle Fernandes are in charge. The two activities are divided in moments of 30 minutes, with participation following the order of arrival.

As it has happened for many years now, this inauguration cycle includes two guided tours to some of the galleries in the block, organised by students of Visual Artes of ESE School of Education. Participation is free, and subject to prior registration through the email visitasguiadasbombarda@agoraporto.pt until 1pm this Friday, June 30th, indicating the name and schedule (4pm-5pm or 5:30pm-6:30pm).

This edition has yet anther surprise: in balcão Porto. cotton tote bags with drawings made by the artists Leonor Violeta and José Falcão, created in the workshop “Cortar/Colar” that took place on May 13th, will be offered .

One last mention to the image of the line-up for this cycle, from the authorship of Helena Rocio Janeiro/Coração o Ditador and courtesy of REM – Espaço Arte, with the curation of Helena Leão and Maria Antónia Marques Gomes. In the font, the usual partnership with Colönia Studio remained.