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village artwork

Fetelaria visits the Museum of Glass

In Fetelaria, the wind moves the mills, sustaining several generations. The community came up with a creative idea: “What if we took the wind to the Museum? It’s easy to transport; it’s something we have in abundance”. Thus was born a work formed by spoons, bottles, feathers and creativity, in dialogue with the work of the Museu do Vidro.

The collective artwork of the community of Fetelaria, Sobral de Monte Agraço, was created using spoons, bottles, feathers and creativity! The starting point for this creation travelled 110 km to the home of Mrs. Fernanda and Mr. Alfredo. “A Praga”, by Alberto Vieira, landed in the intimacy of Fetelaria, gathering the community around itself. Inspired by art, they set themselves the challenge of building an artistic creation that could represent them and, in the same way, travel to the Museum. The community reflected: “What if we took the Wind? It is easy to transport; it is something we have in abundance.” Thus, Fetelaria took the wind to Museu do Vidro, in a piece of artwork that brings together elements collected in the village, in dialogue with the work they hosted.

The wind blows from sobral

Fetelaria, Portugal, 2021
Sculpture
Glass, metal, wood, feathers and threads.

This artwork is a collective creation made by the community of Fetelaria
(Sobral de Monte Agraço) as part of project “Museu na Aldeia” (Village Museum).

Aldina Ferreira | Alfredo Joaquim | António Lourenço | Araújo Ferreira |
Arminda Lourenço | Fátima Neto | Gertrudes Rodrigues | Herculano Ferreira |
Irene Lourenço | João Amaral | João Bernardino | João Rodrigues | João Neto |
Maria Eduarda Ferreira | Maria Fernanda | Maria de Fátima Alexandra |
Maria Joaquina Rosário | Virgínia Soares.

Guest artist: Ivo Rodrigues

Fetelaria

Parish Council of Sapataria, Municipality of Sobral de Monte Agraço

The old farm known as “Quinta de Casal de Fetelaria”, which was owned by a single family, gave way to what we know today as the village of Fetelaria. Currently, there are just over a dozen residents, most of whom are related to each other. The relationship with water started with a spring and its streams; with time, a well was built next to the spring and later a fountain that is still used today. Subsistence family farming was practised and the surplus was sold in local markets. The old mills nearby were a central element for the community, and it was by using them that they ground the wheat. Today, this wind-rich village is surrounded by wind towers.

The Plague

The artwork that visited the Village

Museum of Glass goes to Fetelaria

The artwork “A Praga” (The Plague), by the sculptor Alberto Vieira, was the piece selected by the Glass Museum to present to the Fetelaria community. It led thought and imagination to the plagues that ravage farmland and affect the livelihoods of those who farm.

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 didn’t believe it was possible to turn wind into art.

João Neto, Community of Fetelaria, Municipality of Sobral de Monte Agraço

I like to participate, I am happy to participate in things that are generally public. Public in the sense of engaging all people. I think it’s useful for people to get out of their comfort zone and get together and talk because that’s life. If we just stay in our little stall, we’re not living (…) it’s not just about feeding ourselves, nor is it just about drinking, we need to live, live, look, talk, communicate. I think that’s part of life. So I can’t just sit in my little place. Whenever I can, whenever there’s anything, I jump off my bench and come out onto the street, and I come to talk and I come to participate.


Herculano Ferreira, Community of Fetelaria, municipality of Sobral de Monte Agraço

Coming to my house is a joy. It is a conviviality.


Maria Fernanda, Community of Fetelaria, municipality of Sobral de Monte Agraço

Exhibitions Credits

  • Cultural Promoter
    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 da Marinha Grande
    Município de Sobral de Monte Agraço
    Museu do Vidro
    Junta de Freguesia de Sapataria
    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
    • Equipa técnica | SAMP
      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
      Tânia Rosa | Museu do Vidro
      Sofia Neves | SAMP
    • Photography credits
      SAMP Team
      Gil de Lemos
    • Museology and museography
      Gabriela da Rocha | SAMP
      Tânia Rosa | Museu do Vidro
    • Exhibition set-up
      Gabriela da Rocha | SAMP
      Tânia Rosa | Museu do Vidro
      Telma Pereira | SAMP
    • Graphic design and illustration
      Henrique Martinowski
      Leonor Capricho | SAMP
    • Exhibition equipment design
      Paolo Martini | Novonovo
    • Guest artist
      Ivo Rodrigues
    • Transportation of the artwork
      Tânia Rosa | Museu do Vidro
    • Insurance of the artwork
      LUSITANIA, Companhia de Seguros, SA
    • Acknowledgements
      Comunidade de Fetelaria
      Museu do Vidro
      Núcleo de Arte Contemporânea (NAC) do Museu do Vidro
      Alberto Vieira | Artista
      Ivo Rodrigues | Artista
      Museu Joaquim Correia
      Politécnico de Leiria
      FabLab Lisboa
      União das Freguesias de Leiria, Pousos, Barreira e Cortes
      ANAFS – Associação Nacional de Alistados das Formações Sanitárias

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