Gulbenkian Center for Modern Art. Lisbon, Portugal

-


 

On a recent trip I had one of those strange travel days. I had arrived in Lisbon after an overnight flight from the U.S., and I was leaving the next morning for Malta. So what to do on my one afternoon, without stressing my jet-lag too much. Luckily, I was staying in the Avenidas Novas neighborhood, and the Gulbenkian Foundation was a short walk away.


Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian via Wikimedia


The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation was founded in 1956 in the estate of  Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (1869-1955) for the promotion of the arts, science, education and philanthropy. It houses one of the largest private art collections in Europe, and supports the Gulbenkian Orchestra and the Gulbenkian Science Institute. The Institute sits in a beautiful park, and houses two art museums. The Museu Calouste Gulbenkian is home to its collection of art that ranges from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the 20th century. Unfortunately, that museum was undergoing renovations during my visit.







This gave me the opportunity to visit the second museum in the park, the Gulbenkian Centro de Arte Moderna (CAM). The CAM (Center for Modern Art) opened in 1983, and is dedicated to contemporary Portuguese artists. Its home is a building that was designed by Japanese architect Kenji Kama, and built in 2024. It features a large covered “porch” and its shape blends in with the park around it. 


Photo from www.gulbenkian.pt


The museum has two large galleries, along with an area called a lab and two smaller galleries. The main gallery on its lower level had an exhibition of artwork from the museums main collection. Above, the main ground floor gallery has a towering ceiling, and windows that open it visually into the surrounding park.


Poetry is in the Streets by Helena Vieira de Silava


Forest by Carlos Bunga

Fernando Pessoa's Dream by António Decosta

Untitled (Ladies at the Table) by Critiano Cruz 

Aegina and the Sweeping Eagle by Nikias Skapinakis

Self-Portrait by Jose de Almada Negreiros 

Fool by Jose Dominguez Alvarez

The Collector by Manuel João Vieira

Self-portrait in a group by Jose de Almada Negeiros

Portrait of Matilde by Sarah Affonso

Portrait of Fernando Pessoa by Jose de Almada Negreiros

A Dramatic Study of an Egg by António Areal


CAM is a beautiful place to see great modern and contemporary art. It is definitely worth a visit.




Nuts and Bolts


Gulbenkian CAM is located at Rue Marquês de Fronteira 2.
It is open Wed - Mon 10:00AM - 6:00PM (9:00 PM on Sat)
Tickets are €12 for access to the museum and to its temporary exhibits. There is a 10% discount for seniors and a 25% desiccant for students. The entry is free on Saturdays after 6:00 PM.

Location: Av. de Berna 45A, 1067-001 Lisboa, Portugal

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Howe Caverns, New York

-
Image
  A recent trip through the Catskill Mountains in New York provided an opportunity to revisit one of the favorite tourist attractions of my youth. My family used to rent a bungalow in the Catskills, and Howe Caverns was a place we visited every year.  Howe Caverns Reception Center. CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=165578696 Howe Caverns is a limestone cave system, complete with a river passing through it that is named the River Styx. The caves were discovered in 1842, when Lester Howe noticed that, on hot days, his cows would gather in the same spot, near some bushes. When he investigated, he found cool air streaming out of a hole in the hillside. He dug out the entrance, and began leading tours in the caves in 1843. Unfortunately, over the years Howe ran into financial difficulties, and had to sell off his land. The area around the caves was bought by a quarry company, and they closed off public access. In 1927 an organization was formed to reopen t...
Read more

The Locks of the Erie Canal

-
Image
There is something about setting a series of tasks for yourself, especially if there is a time limit to complete them. It sets in your mind. After an initial burst of energy it becomes zen, a focus that blocks out other things. In this case I gave myself 33 tasks and 72 hours. Some were longer than others. Some were more interesting. I set out to photographs every lock on the Erie Canal. This year is the bicentennial of the beginning of construction on the original Erie Canal. Finished in 1825, the Erie Canal opened the west to the direct transport of goods. Prior to that everything had to be taken by cart over land. The canal spurred the settlement of western New York and Pennsylvania by taking a trip of up to 45 days and shortening it to about 9. It provided a faster and cheaper way for farmers to send grain to the cities along the coast and for industries in those cities to send manufactured goods to new settlers. It also allowed industry to develop along the rivers ...
Read more

Callicoon NY is a beautiful place to visit

-
Image
Delaware River near Narrowsburg NY   When I take a road trip, I love to travel on small roads, avoiding the major highways. It helps that I am retired, and rarely on a tight schedule. One of the things I look forward to is discovering the small towns that the interstate passes by. I am often surprised by what I find. A recent trip through the Catskill Mountains of New York brought me just such a find.  In the northwest corner of Sullivan county, where the Delaware river serves as the border between New York and Pennsylvania, is the town of Callicoon . The town sits in a valley along the river. It was founded in 1842, when the Erie Railroad came through this part of the state. This part of the Catskills was already a center of the timber industry. In 1849 a tannery was built, taking advantage of the local hemlock trees, whose bark played a key role in preparing leather for boots and industrial belts. The railroad allowed for an influx of farmers, offering them a reliable way to...
Read more