Lisbon Events Calendar

The biggest and still the best outdoor market in Lisbon, every Tuesday morning and Saturday pretty much all day. “Ladra” means “thief” – while you can get some nice artisanal jewelry, 17th-century tiles, copper pots, and vintage LPs, this is also THE market to replace your missing phone charger or stolen backpack, pick up some off-the-truck books, and haggle over Soviet gas masks. Best place for gramophones in Europe bar none.

Morning time is when things are particularly sketchy, if you like that sort of thing. By 9, it’s mostly very nice shoppers, very civilized and such. Bonus: excellent street musicians forming impromptu gypsy orchestras with some real class and skill.

Take 712, 734 and 28 Electrico tram, or go by taxi, who all know where it is.

If you’ve been around Lisbon this year, you may have seen those big yellow triangular things with Vincent Van Gogh’s face on them all over town. If you ventured outside during the lockdown, you may even have seen one or two of these being used as unofficial housing for the homeless, which Vincent would have likely liked. Those things are advertisements for Meet Vincent Van Gogh, and the show seems to have survived the ‘rona.
Here’s what the organizers say:
“The world-famous Van Gogh Museum invites you to step into Vincent van Gogh’s world and get closer to the brilliant artist than ever before. From the Netherlands to Paris, let Vincent guide you on a magical and multisensory journey through the most important moments of his extraordinary life. Immerse yourself in the Van Gogh Museum’s official experience, on display for a limited time only in the cultural heart of Lisbon.

*Tickets that were purchased for the dates between March 13 and May 31 are still valid until November 30, without the need to previously exchange them.”

Tickets and more info here.

ENTRY: 9-15€ (with discounted packages available).

Here’s a glimpse.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJMCwmjQgG0&feature=emb_logo[/embed]

From Wikipedia:
“The Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit (‘Ordem Militar da Torre e Espada do Valor, Lealdade e Mérito,’ in Portuguese)) is a Portuguese order of knighthood and the pinnacle of the Portuguese honors system. The order was originally created by King Afonso V of Portugal in 1459, under the name of the Order of the Sword, inspired by the legend that Arab rule in Africa would end when a Christian prince would besiege the fortress at Fez. Knighthood in the Order of the Sword was given as a reward to those who participated in the conquests and battles in Africa.”

New things every day…

From Museu da Presidência da República, the organizers of this historical exhibit:
“A show that presents the history of the Military Order of the Tower and Sword, of Valor, Loyalty, and Merit, and of its highest degree, instituted in 1939, to be granted only to heads of State with exceptional contributions in the military field. It follows the evolution of the order and the 1962 amendment, which defines that merit is no longer exclusive to military deeds, and institutes the attribution of the Grande-Colar (“the Great Necklace”), at the end of the mandate, to the Presidents of the Republic.”

Museum Hours:
Tue-Sun, 10h-13h / 14h-18h.
Show up until November 1st.

ENTRY: 2,5€.

“My fate cannot be mastered; it can only be collaborated with and thereby, to some extent, directed. Nor am I the captain of my soul; I am only its noisiest passenger.”
Aldous Huxley.

We’re all just passengers, really. And if your current stop happens to be Lisbon, then Festival TODOS 2020 has a few neat surprises for you along the way.

From the organizers:
“The festival that promotes and celebrates interculturality in the city of Lisbon – TODOS: Caminhada de Culturas – is back for its 12th edition. From 17 to 20 of September 2020, the neighborhood of Santa Engrácia, next to the Santa Apolónia train station, hosts shows and socio-cultural events that, each in its own way, develop the interaction between Passengers of the World, living and working in the Portuguese capital. An opportunity, also, to get to know better the places of this territory and what is not usually visible to our daily gaze, from the corners to reveal the stories and the community that lives in it.

2020 marks the year when we have to approach without touching. In this year in which digital must also be a space for meeting and sharing, our programming extends to the digital world through #TODOSemlinha.

With our eyes on a sky without borders, we move forward. In-person or digitally, join our journey through a Lisbon more inclusive, cosmopolitan, and open to the Other. Open to TODOS.”

Full program, tickets, and more info here.

João da Silva (1880-1960) was a Portuguese artist, sculptor, medal-maker, among other things. Despite being little-known outside of Portugal, he was good at what he did.
Lisbon’s National Society of Fine Arts knows this, and that’s why they invite you to see João’s stuff in its natural habitat all summer long.

Here’s what they say:
“This exhibition presents the animalist aspect of the author, where his pieces are suspended in the gesture, in the agile and momentary movements of the young animals.”

Gallery Hours:
Mon-Fri, 10h-19h.
Sat, 14h-18h.

Show up until Sept 25.

FREE ENTRY.

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”
Oscar Wilde.

Um Mundo de Máscaras (“A World of Masks) is an art exhibit brought to you, quite appropriately, by the Pharmacy Museum of Lisbon.

Here’s how they describe it:
“Establishing a bridge between the present and the past, we propose a trip to different continents, over the centuries, through masks, an element that has become part of the daily lives of all citizens of the world, a symbol of the diversity that exists between civilizations, countries, cultures, and peoples.
Revealing the historical interest of the mask throughout the course of human history, this exhibition brings together 14 copies of masks from different museums and cultures, from healer masks to sorcerer masks, from protection to tradition, from theater to ceremony.
“A World of Masks”, also has an Augmented Reality component, a technology that allows you to project virtual content, such as images, in the real world. Through simple reading with a mobile phone with QR Code reader, the visitor will be able to travel in time and ‘wear’, in a virtual way, the masks that make up the exhibition.
We recall that the virtual exhibition, still available at www.ummundodemascaras.com, was inaugurated on May 18, International Museum Day, having been received with great enthusiasm by the public, registering so far more than 9,000 visitors.”

Hours:
Daily, 10h to 19h, to September 30th.

More info via [email protected].

FREE ENTRY (with your own mask, of course).

Anti-princesses are a lot cooler than princesses, and everybody knows that. But, in case your kids don’t know that yet, then, as part of the ongoing Cultura na Rua festival, local actress and directress Cláudia Gaiolas invites you to her anti-princess theater cycle. This year, Cláudia has been focusing on Portuguese women who made history, and her latest anti-princess badass dame is Carolina Beatriz Ângelo.

From the organizers:
“‘CAROLINA BEATRIZ ÂNGELO’ by Cláudia Gaiolas
This summer, the little ones are invited to get to know the ‘Antiprincess – Beatriz Ângelo,’ recreating the story of this feminist doctor, who was the first woman to vote in Portugal, in 1911, one year after the implantation of the Republic. The law stated that citizens over 21 years of age, who knew how to read and write and were heads of household, could vote. The fact that Beatriz Ângelo was a widow and had to support her daughter allowed her to claim in court the right to be considered a ‘head of the family’.”

You go, Beatriz!

Showtimes every Saturday and Sunday, at 11h and 16h, until Sept 27.

FREE ENTRY.*
*Limited capacity, subject to prior reservation through [email protected] and pickup on the day, 30 minutes before the show, within the limit of 4 tickets per person / family.

“Meeting someone with yourself is never cheap.”
Bernardo Santareno, The Jew.

August 20 (or August 29th, or August 30th, depending on who you ask), 2020 marks 50 years since the death of the enigmatic Bernardo Santareno, aka António Martinho do Rosário, the cool-looking dude on the left.

Born a century ago, at age 37 Bernardo was working as an onboard physician for the Portuguese cod-fishing fleet. Then he decided to start writing poetry and plays celebrating freedom, human dignity, and love, thereby often criticizing Portugal’s dictatorship and causing much of his work to be banned by said dictatorship.

This summer, as part of their Artists of Resistance series, Museu do Aljube Resistência e Liberdade invites you to meet the man on the left in a bibliographical exhibition that, in their words, “brings together some of the most important moments in the life and work of Bernardo Santareno.” And it’s not that expensive.

Museum hours:
Tue-Sun, 11h-17h.
Show up until Sept 30.

ENTRY: 3€.

NOTE: This event is not on the museum’s main page (probably due to COVID), but it is on Facebook, so don’t kill the messenger.

Francesco Paolo Giunta, aka Ramen Yung, is a multitalented multimedia artist originally from Italy but now living and working in Lisbon. In recent months, he’s been exhibiting his illustrations, paintings, interactive walls, and other weird stuff all over town.

Prisma Estúdio is host to his latest solo show, RefrActions, and here’s what they say about what’s happening:
“We, Prisma, Lisboa, The world & us all, are thoroughly seething with unparalleled joi to announce the incredible exhibition.
You are invited to join us for a completely original insight into newfound methods of post-finite contemporary arts of unimaginable question & beauty.

REFRaCTIONS:
After many years of understanding and creating art to the finest of levels, Ramen Yung has invented a brand-new formula to openly & readily present & manufacture the inner workings of the cosmos, to all eyes willing to be open(ed)…
The methods used combine instant, vigorous abstraction, while a mechanical development of unique expression runs throughout.
Each work represents a fragment of the entirety of it all. The full lot.
The rest is with you, it’s here.
It’s happening.

INTERACTIVE FUN:
Within the framework of the exhibition, we are happy to announce an interactive installation happening in the city center of Lisbon. The artwork “sticky wall” will be installed in the period of the exhibition – we will release the coordinates and would like to invite everyone to pass by, explore and stick to it.”

SCHEDULE:
Sept. 11; 5 – 9 pm: Vernissage & opening of “Sticky walls”
Sept. 12; 3 – 7 pm
Sept. 13; 5 – 9 pm: Sunday Open [ART] Studio
Sept. 15-  19; 3 – 7 pm
Sept. 20; 5 – 9 pm:  Sunday Open [ART] Studio
Sept. 22 – 24;  3 – 7 pm
Sept. 23; 3 – 7 pm

NOTE:
Due to the Corona restrictions, our space is limited to host 5 people at the same time. Please schedule your visit from Tuesday to Sunday, 15h–19h, via [email protected].

FREE ENTRY.

From racist bloodthirsty cops to a global pandemic to the death of the art world as we know it, there’s a lot to be angry about these days. ‘I am a calm person, but I get angry bursts’ brings together 23 artists in a unique group show dealing with all of the above issues, and here’s how organizers Arroz Estúdios describe it:
“This exhibition brings together the work of artists that have participated at Residência Independente (‘Independent Residence’), a project that was developed during the quarantine.

Residência Independente was born within the context of social confinement. This initiative challenged artists and non-artists to produce pieces inside the safety of their own homes. There was only one rule to follow: the artwork should be made during a period of 72 hours. The name independent Residence was given due to the fact that all artists that participated were independently working on their own living space. The results can be seen here.
Afterwards, with George Floyd’s death and consequent anti-racism manifestations, Residência Independente created a solitary sale. This meant that 50% of each artwork sold was given to an anti-racism institution. During this phase, the project grew quite a bit, making space for new artists and new pieces from the ones that were already participating. I AM A CALM PERSON, BUT I GET ANGER BURSTS, is an exhibition that brings together a bit of all this creative process. Most of the art pieces exposed are part of the solitary sale.”

Artists on display:
Ana Durão, António Mateus, Carolina Serranito, Catarina Marcos, Cecília Pim, Helena Rodrigues, Inês Garcia, Isabel Murteira, João Lopes, José Carvalheiro, Laura Coello, Leonor Zuzarte, Margarida Andrade, Mariana Castro, Mariana Charrua, Marta Derque, Miguel Ângelo Marques, Natacha Martins, Pedro Neves, Pedro Valério, Rita Castanheira, Sara Santos, Soraia Correia.

FREE ENTRY (with limited capacity and mandatory masks).

A BARRACA (“the tent”) is a local theater group founded in 1975 by actress and stage director Maria do Céu Guerra, director Mario Alberto, and playwright Hélder Costa. Back then, it belonged to an emerging movement of experimental independent theater companies, following the revolution, and at some point was considered the most popular theater company in Portugal. Maria, Mario and Hélder remain at its helm to this day.

This summer, A BARRACA emerges from the lockdown with a series of free open-air plays and performances for all ages.

The Program:
Saturdays and Sundays at 17h, for the kids:
-‘The Wonderful Adventures of Saltapocinhas’ by Aquilino Ribeiro;
–The Tale of the Unknown Island by José Saramago.

Mondays at 21h (bi-weekly):
-‘Imaginary Encounters,’ debates between important characters in history, directed by Hélder Mateus da Costa.

Fridays and Mondays at 21h (bi-weekly, for “lovers of poetry, music, and theater”):
-‘Surprise nights’ with poetry recitals.

FREE ENTRY.

*Get more info and reserve your place through +351 213 965 360 or 213965275, or via [email protected].

Did you know that there’s a green week already happening in Lisbon? Neither did we. We thought it was in October… The Goethe-Institut, however, like Goethe himself, seems to be ahead of its time. To this effect, here’s what they say about next Saturday night:
“On Saturday, September 19, starting at 19h, Green Week says goodbye with the concert by cellist Joana Guerra in the garden of the Goethe-Institut, accompanied visually by the images of a short film that captures an impressive natural phenomenon. Soon after, the last two films of the four-day show will be shown.”

And here’s what they say about Joana:
“As soon as Joana Guerra steps onto the stage, she is accompanied by intuition, curiosity and generosity, fundamental components of her artistic expressiveness.
Her musical career is varied and has led her from classical to noise music. He played not only in Lisbon bars, but also in different venues across Europe. However, it was in her solo project that this cellist, singer and songwriter achieved greater recognition among the public.

Visual accompaniment:
THE ART OF FLYING by Jan van Ijken.

The two short films following the concert are
A YEAR ALONG THE GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT by Felix Dierich and HONEYLAND by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov.

FREE ENTRY.*
*Registration must be made using the following form. In view of the regulations currently in force and to ensure the safety of all stakeholders, participation is limited to a maximum of 40 people. The limitation applies to the entire duration of the event, including the concert and the screening of films.

Stay green, y’all!

Bon vivant is a French term meaning someone who has a good life or, better, who enjoys his life well, indulging in the pleasures that it provides. And if there’s one thing that the French like to indulge in, other than being very French, that thing is cheese.

Les Bons Vivants is a “gourmet bar” in Intendente run by local foodies specializing in wine, craft beer, charcuterie, and, of course, cheese.

Here’s what they say about Saturdays:
“CHEESES + MUSIC PARTY!
We receive every week a DJ for a cheesy dance party!
Free entrance & GOOD VIBES!
Happy hour: 17h-20h (all 50cl beers are half-price).”

FREE ENTRY*.

*RSVP STRONGLY ADVISED.

Convento do Carmo is one of the coolest places in Lisbon. It is 631 years old, and it has survived an earthquake, a fire, gentrification, and, for now, a global pandemic. It is also host to the annual Lisbon Under Stars light show, and here’s what the organizers of that say:
“From August 20th to October 31st, with 2 daily sessions (at 9pm and 10pm), the Ruins of the Church of Carmo are once again transformed into a time machine that takes the public on an immersive journey through more than 600 years of Lisbon’s history.
LISBON UNDER STARS is a 45-minute sensorial experience, with the public at the center of the events and the walls of the ruins transformed into three-dimensional 360º screens, where multimedia projections, virtual dancers, and visual effects are mixed to the sound of great names in Portuguese music.”

PRICE: 10,60€.
(kids under 5 get in for free).

Showtimes:
Monday through Saturday, at 21h and 22h.

Tickets and more info here.