VILLAGE ARTWORK
Cercal visits the Museum and Arts Centre of Figueiró dos Vinhos
The artwork “Cultivar a Amizade” (Cultivating Friendship) is composed of a set of small clay sculptures modelled by the Cercal community and transformed into ceramics by the CENCAL – Alcobaça team. These pieces represent seeds of various qualities and symbolise a type of crop considered essential to the community: friendship. Whether between family members, neighbours or people who are some distance apart, a good and healthy friendship is a sign that life is growing and flourishing within us. The artwork ‘Cultivar a Amizade’ represents – in a creative, unique and collective way – the development of human relationships in the eyes and hands of each participant.
Cultivating Friendship
Cercal, Cadaval, 2022
White ceramic
This artwork is a collective creation made by the community of Cercal (Cadaval), as part of the ‘Museu na Aldeia’ project.
José Marques | Maria Leonilde | Maria Sofia | Sofia Silva
Technical support: CENCAL – Alcobaça
CERCAL
Union of Parish Councils of Lamas and Cercal, Municipality of Cadaval
The village of Cercal – located near Serra de Montejunto – was historically marked by the visit of Queen Maria I, who ordered the construction of a fountain on her visit: the 18th century Chafariz do Cercal. In the past, this village was also known for being a land of blacksmiths, as this was one of the main trades of the region. Another fundamental activity for the subsistence of the population was agriculture, in which men and women had equivalent functions. The inhabitants of this village assure us that Cercal had a good chicken soup and that a ‘little woman was always looking for the good chickens’. Friendship has always played a role at the heart of the village, where, in the summer, the Festa em Honra da Nossa Senhora da Visitação (Celebration in Honour of Our Lady of Visitation) brought the community together and enlivened it.
The artwork that visited the Village
Figueiró dos Vinhos Museum and Art Centre goes to Cercal
The Museu e Centro de Artes de Figueiró dos Vinhos presented the sculpture “Camões”, by José Simões de Almeida Júnior. Just as the participants from the village of Cercal cultivated their land and prepared the soil, Luís Vaz de Camões, a Portuguese historical personality who marked the time of the Discoveries, also cultivated seeds that inspire us to this day.
Meetings and Sharing
The Community welcomes an artwork from the Museum, inviting it into the heart of their village. This object becomes a catalyst, inspiring museum professionals and the artistic team to engage participants in a collaborative process. Together, they establish connections between the museum artwork, its reflection, and its ties to local heritage. Using local elements such as objects, songs, stories, and traditions, participants craft their own artwork. The celebration reaches its peak with the inauguration of a temporary exhibition in the museum. An artistic performance fosters connections among communities and museum professionals, strengthening bonds between them.
And so it was… Art as an invitation for encounters and connections.
Testimonials
Exhibitions Credits
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Cultural PromoterSAMP – Sociedade Artística Musical dos Pousos
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Co-financierIniciativa Portugal Inovação Social
Programa Operacional Social e de Emprego (PO ISE)
Portugal 2020
Fundo Social Europeu (FSE) -
Social investorCâmara Municipal de Leiria
Partner
Rede Cultura 2027 -
In collaboration withMunicípio do Cadaval
Município de Figueiró dos Vinhos
Museu e Centro de Artes de Figueiró dos Vinhos
Junta de Freguesia de Lamas e Cercal
União de Freguesias de Leiria, Pousos, Barreira e Cortes -
Museums Working Group for “Rede Cultura 2027”Alberto Guerreiro | Museu Raul da Bernarda
Sónia Santos | Município de Ourém
Bruno Silva | Rede de Museus e Galerias de Óbidos
Dóris Santos | Museu Dr. Joaquim Manso
Filipe Guimarães da Silva | Fundação Mário Soares e Maria Barroso
Jorge Figueiredo | Município de Porto de Mós
Luís Figueiredo | Museu Damião de Góis e das Vítimas da Inquisição
Margarida Moleiro | Museu Municipal Carlos Reis
Raquel Janeirinho | Rede Museológica do Concelho de Peniche
Vânia Carvalho | Museu de Leiria -
The 13 VillagesAlcanadas (Batalha) | Louriceira de Cima (Arruda dos Vinhos) | Ateanha (Ansião) | Cabeças (Alvaiázere) | Cercal (Cadaval) | Columbeira (Bombarral) | Fanhais (Nazaré) | Freixianda (Ourém) | Folgarosa (Torres Vedras) | Mosteiro (Pedrógão Grande) | São Bento (Porto de Mós) | Fetelaria (Sobral de Monte Agraço) | Pena e Casal da Pena (Torres Novas)
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The 13 MuseumsCasa do Tempo (Castanheira de Pera) | Centro de Artes Caldas da Rainha | Centro de Estudos em Fotografia de Tomar | Rede de Museus e Galerias de Óbidos | Museu de Arte Popular Portuguesa (Pombal) | Museu da Lourinhã | Museu de Aguarela Roque Gameiro (Alcanena) | Museu de Leiria | Museu do Vidro (Marinha Grande) | Museu e Centro de Artes de Figueiró dos Vinhos | Museu Damião de Góis e das Vítimas da Inquisição (Alenquer) | Museu Raul da Bernarda (Alcobaça) | Rede Museológica do Concelho de Peniche.
The project also had the collaboration of museums from the 26 participating municipalities. -
SAMP Contigo | CoordinationRaquel Gomes
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Museu na Aldeia | CoordinationGabriela da Rocha
Sofia Neves -
Museu na Aldeia | Teams of the project
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SAMP | Technical teamSAMP | Artistic team
Bruno Homem | Musician
Filipa Cunha | Musician
Inesa Markava | Artistic Performance Director
Jesus Kristen | Musician
Raquel Gomes | Community Artist
Ruben Santos | Musician
Sofia Neves | Actress -
SAMP | Technical teamAna Figueiredo | Communication and Content Manager
Cátia Gaio | Logistic and Financial Support
Gabriela da Rocha | Museologist
Henrique Chaves | Sociologist
Lara Matos | Degree in Social Psychology
Leonor Capricho | Graphic Designer
Ismael Neves | Logistic and Financial Support
Telma Pereira | Production -
TextsAna Figueiredo | SAMP
Carla Tomás | Museu da Lourinhã
Gabriela da Rocha | SAMP
Henrique Chaves | SAMP
Sofia Neves | SAMP -
Photography creditsSAMP Team
Gil de Lemos -
Museography and exhibition set-upInês Soares e Lorenzo Scodeller | Novonovo
Gabriela da Rocha | SAMP
Miguel Serra | Museu e Centro de Artes
Paula Mendes | Museu e Centro de Artes
Telma Pereira | SAMP
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Design gráfico | Graphic designHenrique Martinowski
Leonor Capricho | SAMP -
Exhibition equipment designPaolo Martini | Novonovo
Artymanha | Welding service
Nelson Cunha
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Insurance of the artworkLUSITANIA, Companhia de Seguros, SA
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Specialised transportation of the artworkRNTrans – Grupo URBANOS
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Technical support | Ceramic kilnFilipe Aguiar | CENCAL Alcobaça
Vera Fortes | CENCAL Alcobaça -
AcknowledgementsComunidade de Cercal
Município de Cadaval
Museu e Centro de Artes de Figueiró dos Vinhos
Junta de Freguesia de Lamas e Cercal
Associação Cultural Recreativa Desportiva do Cercal
Espaço Trabuca
Museu Municipal do Cadaval
Centro de Formação Profissional para a Indústria Cerâmica de Alcobaça (CENCAL)
Politécnico de Leiria
União das Freguesias de Leiria, Pousos, Barreira e Cortes
ANAFS – Associação Nacional dos Alistados das Formações Sanitárias
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