Porta Entreaberta

5 artists coming together in a unique gallery exhibition in the Ajuda neighborhood of Lisbon.

Francisca Valador envisioned an all women exhibition at her apartment and transform her living space into an intimate gallery. This wouldn’t be a problem, since the exposition would be held on the month she’d be leaving the apartment. The Porta Entreaberta exposition would be her grand exit….

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend some time with ceramics artist, Tatiana Guerra Ferreira, at her atelier in the Ajuda neighborhood of Lisbon.

I would call our interview day – auspicious.

Meet António Magalhães Loureiro, Lisbon’s traveling knife and scissor sharpener.

Margarida Alfacinha welcomed me into her studio at the Largo Residencia Building in Lisbon with a smile and a sweep of the arm. Light poured into her atelier from the open French doors. The high ceilings, whitewashed walls, and hardwood floors resonated with 19th century character and warmth.

Paintings overflowed from her worktables and portfolio stacks. Sketches, reference books, and paint swatches covered her desk.

An artist’s oasis.

Venezuelan artist Francisco Rivas paints with a bold soul. His works are evocative, nostalgic, and celebratory. Born and raised in Caracas, Francisco created his first oil painting in the atelier of Reynaldo Chaparro at the age of nine. Francisco earned his degree in graphic design but painting has remained close to his heart as a true form of his personal reflections and expression.

On a bright October day at a café in Lisbon, I sat down with Portuguese video collage artist João Pombeiro. His videos and collages defy the digital age’s fanaticism for crisp edges and bright spectacle; rather, his work delves into the less defined realms of “dream and memory.”