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village artwork

Columbeira visits the Leiria Museum

The Museu de Leiria established a direct relationship with the archaeological heritage of the village of Bombarral by bringing and presenting to the community pieces from its collection, which represent a milestone in the history of the human species. The links between both territories gave rise to a work created by the Columbeira community: a map in honour of the village, where points of heritage and personal interest are identified.

Shaped like a map of Columbeira, the artwork “Elos de Ligação” (Connecting Links) is a tribute by the participants to their village, through which they represent various landmarks interconnected with each other. During the creative process, participants discussed the importance of historical and heritage elements and their impact on human relations. In this context, various interpretations were shared about what linkages are and their different dimensions, establishing a relationship between the archaeological artefacts found in this village and the need to value and preserve them. This three-dimensional map brings together, in addition to historical and heritage landmarks, places with associated memories and emotional ties: family homes, the local fountain, the recreational association, among others.

Connecting Links

Columbeira, Portugal, 2022
Art installation
Wood, metal, satin cord and objects

This artwork is a collective creation made by the community of Columbeira
(Bombarral), as part of the ‘Museu na Aldeia’ project.

Acácio Gustavo | Fátima Gomes | Fernando Costa | Guilhermina Gomes | Maria Arlete
Coutinho | Maria Augusta Dias | Maria do Céu Sousa | Maria de Lurdes Rocha |
Maria Helena Lopes | Maria Leal | Maria Leonor Rodrigues | Maria Luísa Gomes |
Maria Odete Barros | Maria Otília Lopes | Maria Rosalina Silva | Maria Rosário Garcia |
Maria Vitória Gualdino

Technical support: Artymanha

Columbeira

Parish Council of Roliça, Municipality of Bombarral

Columbeira has a very rich archaeological heritage, from which we can highlight objects around 50 thousand years old, related to the lithic industry (the use of stone to produce tools and goods). In addition to these findings, which were identified in Vale do Roto and Gruta Nova da Columbeira, there are also small zoomorphic figures, human bones, ceramic vases and even some treasures. In this village there are also traces of more recent historical events, such as cannonballs from the Battle of Roliça (August 17th, 1808) and a sickle, which was wielded by a primary school teacher during a demonstration in defence of the water resources of Columbeira, against the Municipality of Bombarral, in the fifties of the 20th century.

Lapedo Child

The artwork that visited the Village

Leiria Museum goes to Columbeira

Thirty thousand years ago, a 5-year-old child was buried by his clan in the Lapedo Valley in Leiria. The remains remained protected until their discovery in 1998. This historical milestone was chosen by the Museu de Leiria to present at the Village of Columbeira, through a replica of the archaeological context of the Lapedo child and the Abrigo do Lagar Velho.

view artwork

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

I enjoyed the fraternisation, the interest that we brought to help the population evolve and remember its history (…) What it has to tell. For future generations. And the whys of things (…) The story told with the facts (…) historical records (…) how it happened, how it happened

Acácio Gustavo, Community of Columbeira, Municipality of Bombarral

The project represents an idea that museums have to go out of doors and have to learn to work with communities in a different way. It involves a human dimension. It uncomplicates museums, it makes the places closer. For us, “Museu na Aldeia” is a seed that has fructified and that, at this moment, is already a quite robust tree.


Vânia Carvalho, Leiria MUSEUM, Municipality of Leiria

Exhibitions Credits

  • Cultural
    SAMP – Sociedade Artística Musical dos Pousos
  • Co-financier
    Iniciativa Portugal Inovação Social
    Programa Operacional Social e de Emprego (PO ISE)
    Portugal 2020
    Fundo Social Europeu (FSE)
  • Social investor
    Câmara Municipal de Leiria
    Partner
    Rede Cultura 2027
  • In collaboration with
    Município de Leiria
    Município do Bombarral
    Junta de Freguesia da Roliça
    União de Freguesias de Leiria, Pousos, Barreira e Cortes
    Museu de Leiria
    Centro de Interpretação do Abrigo do Lagar Velho
    Comissão de Melhoramentos da Columbeira
    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 Villages
    Alcanadas (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)
  • The 13 Museums
    Casa 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 | Coordination
    Raquel Gomes
  • Museu na Aldeia | Coordination
    Gabriela da Rocha
    Sofia Neves
  • Museu na Aldeia | Teams of the project
    • SAMP | 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 team
      Ana 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
    • Texts
      Ana Figueiredo | SAMP
      Gabriela da Rocha | SAMP
      Henrique Chaves | SAMP
      Sofia Neves | SAMP
      Equipa do Museu de Leiria
    • Créditos Photography credits
      SAMP | Team
      Gil de Lemos
    • Museology and museography
      Cátia José | Museu de Leiria
      Gabriela da Rocha | SAMP
      Mário Coelho | Museu de Leiria
      Sara Marques da Cruz | Museu de Leiria
      Vânia Carvalho | Museu de Leiria
    • Graphic design and illustration
      Henrique Martinowski | SAMP
      Leonor Capricho | SAMP
    • Equipment design
      Paolo Martini | Novonovo
    • Exhibition set-up
      Cátia José | Museu de Leiria
      Gabriela da Rocha | SAMP
      Inês Soares e Lorenzo Scodeller | Novonovo
      Mário Coelho | Museu de Leiria
      Sara Marques da Cruz | Museu de Leiria
      Vânia Carvalho | Museu de Leiria
      Vânia Jordão | Museu de Leiria
    • Carpentry service
      João Silva | Artymanha
      Nelson Cunha | Artymanha
    • Transportation and installation of the artwork
      Mário Coelho | Museu de Leiria
      Sara Marques da Cruz | Museu de Leiria
    • Model and replica of the Lapedo Child grave
      Digital information:
      T.A.C. (Tomografia Axial Computorizada) – Hospital Curry Cabral (Lisboa)
      Marcia Ponce de León, Christoph Zollikofer – Anthropological Institute – Universidade
      de Zurique (Suíça)
    • Data processing and execution of the replica
      Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão / Instituto Politécnico de Leiria – Center for Rapid and Sustained Product Development
      Francisco Almeida e Pedro Serra | Model and painting of the replica
    • Model of Abrigo do Lagar Velho
      Francisco Almeida e Pedro Serra | Model and painting of the replica
    • Insurance of the artwork
      LUSITANIA, Companhia de Seguros, SA
    • Acknowledgements
      Comunidade de Columbeira
      Comissão de Melhoramentos da Columbeira
      Museu Municipal do Bombarral
      Centro de Interpretação do Abrigo do Lagar Velho
      Associação de Defesa do Património Cultural do Concelho do Bombarral
      Politécnico de Leiria
      União de Freguesias de Leiria, Pousos, Barreira e Cortes
      ANAFS – Associação Nacional de Alistados das Formações Sanitárias

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