WELCOME TO ALMADA NEGREIROS MURAL PAINTING PROJECT

Message from Milene Gil, IR 
 

Dear All, 

It is with great pleasure that we announce the launch of the newsletter for the project  Unveiling the mural painting art of Almada Negreiros (1938-1956): a technical, material and diagnostic scientific study as a guide for its future conservation and enjoyment. The goal is to share with you the outcomes and breakthrough news of the project. We have many outreach activities foreseen over three years for you to discover another side of the multifaceted Almada Negreiros, this time as a muralist painter together with his masterpieces. 

Join us!
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Promotional video 
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyFAn6b0R9o)
 
The ALMADA Project focuses on the study of the painting techniques and materials used by the artist in his mural paintings between 1938 and 1956. Although Almada Negreiros’ mural paintings in Lisbon are among the most emblematic masterpieces of European modern art, our understanding of their technical and material features is limited. This 3-year project presents a unique opportunity to fill this gap and raise awareness of the importance of his work to academia and society at large. At the basis of this in-depth investigation lies a carefully planned combination of Art History, Technical Art History and Heritage Science. This project of HERCULES| Laboratory of Évora University features a large interdisciplinary research, with partners bringing together their academic expertise to explore and to divulge Almada Negreiro's working methods. The project involves researchers from four different Institutions and different academic backgrounds, from humanities to science.

Project Ref.: PTDC/ART-HIS/1370/2020
Leading Institution: Laboratory HERCULES of Évora University
Partners: General Directorate of Cultural Heritage (DGPC); Institute of Art History of the University Nova of Lisbon (IHA-FCSH/UNL) and Lisbon Ports Administration (APL). 
Team here

Goals of Almada’s project

  • PRODUCTION OF NEW KNOWLEDGE:  through identification and characterization of painting techniques, pigments and binding media. A detailed analysis will be carried out in selected painted mural sets from 1938 to 1956 to understand Almada’s evolution and impact as a muralist; his painting sources, influences, changes and evolution in time. The obtained data will constitute a significant breakthrough in Portuguese and European technical art history of the 20th century; 
  • PAINTINGS SAFEGUARD: detailed diagnostic survey of the paint layers to understand their decay and ageing processes. This analysis will be based on the problems reported by conservators and restorers during past surveys and restoration campaigns between 1970 and 2000. The strategic outcome of this research will produce the guidelines for the paintings future conservation and management protocols.
  • VALORIZATION AND DISSEMINATION: A combination of conventional and innovative tools will be used for promoting and worldwide dissemination of the acquired new knowledge and public access to Almada Negreiro’s painted murals.

ONLINE EVENT
 

See the Murals, know the artist

6+3 open lecturers dedicated to Almada’s art life and mural painting masterpieces.

First lecturer 18 June at 6pm

The Commissions in the context of Almada Negreiros art work by Art Historian Mariana Pinto dos Santos

Link to attend:
https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/81786192256?pwd=bFdxUG5iN05qd0NmVGpUNm1yTUF4QT09

Since the establishment of the Estado Novo dictatorship (1933), modernist artists were summoned by the State to work on various artistic commissions; however, commissions did not arise only at that time. In this brief presentation, I will comment on Almada Negreiros' commissions, comparing work before and after the Estado Novo, as well as public and private commissions, analyzing, in this context, both the constraints of artistic production and the possibilities of pursuing the artist's modernist project.

Next lectures here.
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