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VILLAGE ARTWORK

Pena e Casal visits the Carlos Reis Museum and Damião de Góis Museum

On a cold night, the project participants, as well as representatives from museums and each municipality, gathered to create art with the Light Painting technique. The photographs were captured by a professional photographer and a community member, reflecting the complementary way in which both interact with light using their senses: one through vision and the other through perception and listening.

In a land of olive trees, windmills and light, there are many paths that tell stories, legends and convictions. Olive oil generates light, and, with light, one can reach what is holy. ‘Um Lugar com Luz’ (A Place With Light) is the result of photographs created by the local community, using the light painting technique. The artwork was inspired by the relationship established between the piece that the community welcomed – the Crown of the Divine Holy Spirit – and Capela do Senhor da Serra.The pictures were taken by two photographers who engage with light in a complementary way: one through vision and the other through perception and hearing. Displayed using boxes provided by the locals of the village, these photographs light up lives and perpetuate the stories of this village.

A Place With Light

Pena and Casal da Pena, Portugal, 2021
Art installation
Plastic boxes, photography and light

This artwork is a collective creation made by the community of Pena and Casal da Pena (Torres Novas), as part of project ‘Museu na Aldeia’ (Village Museum).

Adelino Cunha | Ana Marques | Augusto Alfaiate | Cândida Santos | Carmina Prima | Deolinda Violante | Josefina Reis | Lucinda Reis | Maria Celeste Costa Bento | Maria Celeste Bento | Maria Gonçalves | Maria Rodrigues | Natércia Bento | Rita Bento | Rogério Violante | Rosa Pereira | Sofia Alfaiate | Virtuosa Felício

Pena AND Casal da Pena

Parish Council of Chancelaria, Municipality of Torres Novas

The origin of the name of the villages Pena and Casal da Pena is often associated with the word ‘pedra’ (stone) by the locals. This is due to both the etymological origin of both words and the geography of the region, which is very rocky. Within its range, this mountain features one of the largest windmill complexes in the Iberian Peninsula. According to the community, these mills represented more than a means of livelihood for the population, as they are symbolically remembered as places for romantic encounters. It is also on this mountain that we find Capela do Senhor da Serra, where the legend of the crucifix that made the olive trees ‘produce olive oil’ had its origin.

Crown of the Divine Holy Spirit

The artwork that visited the Village

Museu Damião de Góis goes to Pena AND Casal da Pena

Olive trees, mills, stories, convictions and light were the starting point for sharing between two municipalities. In Alenquer, the Cult of the Divine Holy Spirit inspires and unites the community through a message of hope and faith, which fills the streets of the city with light.

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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

The photo was taken at Senhor da Serra (…) it was so cold. I mean, really, really cold. I was happy and I enjoyed it. I had never done anything like that before. It came out great. I told my son how that happened.

Deolinda Violante, Community of Pena and Casal da Pena, Municipality of Torres Novas

It was a joy to socialise! We have to be there for each other and we have to connect with each other. Because a person alone is nothing and nobody.


Leocádia Costa, Community of Pena and Casal da Pena, Municipality of Torres Novas.

It is always a joy, a fun to have them here in the village. This has been very good for us, something we didn’t have before. This place is getting a bit forgotten. We love to come and see and hear, it’s what we enjoy and we love these things. I love working together with people.


Virtuosa Felício, Community of Pena and Casal da Pena, Municipality of Torres Novas.

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 de Alenquer
    Município de Torres Novas
    Museu Damião de Góis e das Vítimas da Inquisição
    Museu Municipal Carlos Reis
    Junta de Freguesia de Chancelaria
    Centro Cultural e Recreativo Pena e Casal da Pena
    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
      Luis Figueiredo | Museu Damião de Góis
      Sofia Neves | SAMP
    • Photography credits
      SAMP team
      Gil de Lemos
    • Museology and museography
      Gabriela da Rocha | SAMP
      Luis Figueiredo | Museu Damião de Góis
    • Exhibition set-up
      Cátia Gaio | SAMP
      Frederico Vieira | Museu Municipal Carlos Reis
      Gabriela da Rocha | SAMP
      Joana Carreira | Museu Municipal Carlos Reis
      Luis Figueiredo | Museu Damião de Góis
      Luísa Frade | Museu Municipal Carlos Reis
      Teresa Lopes | Museu Municipal Carlos Reis
    • Transportation of the artwork
      Luis Figueiredo | Museu Damião de Góis
      Câmara Municipal de Alenquer
    • Equipment design
      Paolo Martini | Novonovo
    • Sound engineering
      André Roque | SAMP
    • Insurance of the artwork
      LUSITANIA, Companhia de Seguros, SA
    • Acknowledgements
      Comunidade de Pena e Casal da Pena
      Centro Cultural e Recreativo Pena e Casal da Pena
      Museu Damião de Góis e das Vítimas da Inquisição
      Museu Municipal Carlos Reis
      Colectivo 249
      Politécnico de Leiria
      União das Freguesias de Leiria, Pousos, Barreira e Cortes
      ANAFS – Associação Nacional dos Alistados das Formações Sanitárias

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