Casa Vale Ferreira

The Serralves Museum is presenting the first anthological exhibition of the work of the Portuguese artists, João Pedro Vale & Nuno Alexandre Ferreira. The exhibition, held in Serralves Villa, will combine a broad selection of works by the two artists, including new works specially conceived for this occasion. 

The decision to host the exhibition in Serralves Villa - one of the most important examples of Art Deco architecture in Portugal - is significant. The iconic pink villa, with its luxurious and opulent materials, will serve as a stage and setting for unexpected encounters proposed by the artists. The artists will occupy practically every room of the former private residence – ranging from the kitchen to the living and dining rooms, and including the staircases and bathrooms – and will thereby transport the visitor to the history and memory of this place. 

The artists have been exploring a series of topics as the relationship between folklore and national identity, fascism and culture in the former regime, the negationisms and policies of memory, violence and silencing perpetuated by dictatorships, but also, in a continuous and relevant manner, the impact of HIV/AIDS and the stigma and prejudice towards the LGBTQIA+ community. These themes complement and establish a dialogue with Portugal's recent history and with the programme envisioned for the second half of 2024, including the 50th anniversary of the 1974 revolution. Casa Vale Ferreira will provide a unique context for reflection and re-reading of the artists' work, which has been reinvented and renewed over a period of more than twenty years.

The exhibition is organised and produced by the Serralves Foundation and curated by Inês Grosso, the Museum's chief curator.