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Museum Artwork

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.

“A Praga” (The Plague) is the name of the artwork created by sculptor Alberto Vieira, which the Museum has chosen to present to the community of Fetelaria. As the name suggests, this piece of artwork leads our thoughts almost immediately to the plagues that often ravaged, and still ravage, fields and farmland. The artwork, which is made from metal spoons and glass bulbs, shows us that we can create works of art by reusing materials from our everyday lives, thus giving them a new purpose. “A Praga” shows us how art can lead us to reflect and question current societal problems, and can also be the starting point for changing attitudes to ensure a more sustainable collective future.

The Plague

Alberto Vieira, 2001

70 x 55 x 55 cm

Sculpture using mixed materials

Metal, spoons and lightbulbs

Núcleo de Arte Contemporânea (NAC) do Museu do Vidro

Museum of Glass

Municipality of Marinha Grande

The Museum of Glass, in Marinha Grande, is the only museum in Portugal that is dedicated to the preservation, dissemination and study of art, craftsmanship and the glass industry. The museum’s collections reflect the historical evolution of this art form, from the mid 17th century/18th century to the present time. Opened in 1998, the museum is housed in the palace where the Stephens brothers used to live. Established in the municipality in 1769, this building was part of Real Fábrica de Vidros da Marinha Grande, which was very important for the development of the region. Part of its facilities have been preserved, restored and adapted for museum and cultural purposes. The museum also includes NAC (“Núcleo de Arte Contemporânea” or Contemporary Art Hub in English), located in “Edifício da Resinagem”, which brings together a large collection of artworks by contemporary Portuguese and international artists, aiming to enhance art, design and innovation in glass.

The artwork that visited the Museum

Fetelaria goes to the Museu do Vidro

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.

see 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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