Guest Country 2024
PORTUGAL
Roma Arte in Nuvola welcomed Portugal as the Guest Country, presenting a selection of works from the Portuguese State Contemporary Art Collection. The exhibition, organized by the Portuguese Ministry of Culture and the Embassy of Portugal in Rome, was curated by Sandra Vieira Jürgens.
Uma Volta ao Sol (A Trip Around the Sun)
The exhibition Uma Volta ao Sol invited visitors to discover a selection of works by the new generation of Portuguese artists.
Through a diverse range of artists, styles, and mediums—including painting and sculpture—the exhibition explored various artistic practices, creative approaches, and conceptual reflections. A distinctive feature among the showcased artists was the use of irony in addressing their themes, along with a playful engagement with humor to highlight relationships between physical forms, ideas, and artistic expression. Their works emphasized both the literal and metaphorical aspects of images and narratives, inviting visitors to interpret them in multiple ways.
Encouraging an interactive and playful experience with art, the exhibition featured pieces that engaged closely with life and society, often adopting a porous and flexible approach while maintaining a critical stance toward cultural and socio-political realities.
The Portuguese State Contemporary Art Collection (CACE – Coleção de Arte Contemporânea do Estado Português) was established in 1976 to create a representative collection of Portugal’s visual arts. Today, it operates under the supervision of Museus e Monumentos de Portugal.
Recognizing the importance of maintaining and expanding the collection, the Portuguese Ministry of Culture recently resumed new acquisitions, which had been halted since 2000. The current acquisitions focus on young artists, an increased representation of women artists, and works that reflect the evolving landscape of contemporary artistic practices.
This exhibition was part of CACE’s international circulation program, which aims to promote Portuguese artists abroad and enhance their global visibility.
