Manuel Cargaleiro
Manuel Cargaleiro is one of the main figures of Portuguese art since the middle of the last century. His works can be found in various parts of the world, with a public work in Portugal at the Colégio Militar station, but also in Paris. In Italy, he fostered a special connection to the Italian city of Vietri Sul Mare, currently home to the Fondazione Museo Artistico Industriale. Manuel Cargaleiro. He continues to this day to work hard, still in Paris. Discover spaces in Portugal with works by the master of lyrical abstractionism in this article.
Cargaleiro Museum in Castelo Branco
The Museum consists of two adjoining buildings – the historic building called "Solar dos Cavaleiros", a small palace built in the 18th century and a contemporary building from the 21st century. Its location is privileged since it is located in the heart of the historic area of Castelo Branco, close to Praça Camões, also known as "Praça Velha". Through its Collection, temporary exhibitions, educational programs and the Library, the Museum promotes the enjoyment and understanding of contemporary art and culture. Presenting the work of today's most renowned artists to diverse audiences, strengthening ties with the local community, are activities inherent to the Museum's mission.
The Cargaleiro Museum opened to the public on September 9, 2005, occupying the historic building "Solar dos Cavaleiros", with the exhibition Cargaleiro - 60 years celebrating colour. On June 10, 2011, as part of the Commemorations of the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities, the dignified President of the Republic, Professor Aníbal Cavaco Silva, inaugurated the new contemporary building, expanding knowledge of the estate, with the exhibition entitledManuel Cargaleiro - Life and Work, which presents various exhibition themes. In March 2017, the exhibition commemorating the 90th anniversary of Manuel Cargaleiro - Freighter and Friends. In June 2021, the exhibition opens Manuel Cargaleiro A Drawn Life can be seen on the first and second floors of the Contemporâneo Building.
Gulbenkian Collection
Manuel Cargaleiro received a scholarship from the Gulbenkian, and this institution currently owns works by the Portuguese artist. Since 1955, the Foundation has been committed to supporting people from all over the world to achieve their dreams. Paris has played a prominent role in the lives of Portuguese artists, musicians and intellectuals over time. The Gulbenkian Foundation gave the possibility toManuel Cargaleiro to build a singular history, due to the scholarship that was granted to him. In 1958, he became one of the first scholarship holders of the "Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian", with an internship at the “Faïencerie de Gien”, under the guidance of Roger Bernard. Participates in the "XVI National Ceramic Contest: Faenza at the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza" (MIC). In an attitude of altruism, which is highly recognized,Manuel Cargaleiro offers pieces of popular ceramics, two panels and a vase of his own for the reconstitution of the Portuguese section of the MIC, badly damaged during World War II.Manuel Cargaleiro participates in the "III Exhibition of Plastic Arts", at the Convento dos Capuchos, in Almada. In 1959,Manuel Cargaleiro acquires a studio at 19 Rue des Grands-Augustins, in Paris, where he takes up residence. That same year, he participated in a group exhibition, with Camille Bryen, Jean Arp and Max Ernst, at the "Galerie Edouard Loeb", in Paris. Participates in the exhibition "Céramiques Contemporaines", at the "Musée des Beaux-Arts" in Ostend, Belgium. Exhibits "Ceramics ofManuel Cargaleiro" in the "Galeria Diário de Notícias", in Lisbon.
In the following decades, he participated in numerous individual and group exhibitions, in several countries, namely France, Brazil, Japan, Germany, Italy, Angola, Mozambique, Spain, Venezuela, Switzerland and Belgium. The lyrical expressiveness of the work ofManuel Cargaleiro motivated the collaboration with poets, namely Armand Guibert, Édouard Roditi and Victor Ferreira, which resulted in numerous unique publications. In 1974, he edited a medal by the sculptor Lagoa Henriques to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the artistic activity ofManuel Cargaleiro. That same year, the "Jornal do Fundão" honored three artists from Beira Baixa: Eugénio de Andrade, José Cardoso saucer andManuel Cargaleiro. In 1980, the exhibitions at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, at the "Portuguese Cultural Center of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation", in Paris, and at the "Maison de la Culture - André Malraux", in Reims, stand out.Manuel Cargaleiro participates in the "Primer Encuentro - Taller Creativo de Artistas de América Latina, España y Portugal", which took place in Jerusalem - Israel, between March 19 and 28, 1985, promoted by the "Instituto Central de Relaciones Culturales Israel - Ibeoramérica, España y Portugal". In 1984, his name was attributed to Escola SecundáriaManuel Cargaleiro located in Fogueteiro, parish of Amora, municipality of Seixal. In 1995, he executed tile panels in various public places in Portugal, as well as for the metro station "Champs-Élysées - Clemenceau", in Paris. In 1999, he was awarded the first prize in the international competition “Viaggio attraverso la Ceramica”, in Vietri sul Mare, in the province of Salerno, placing him as a great artistic reference in Italy, having in 2004 inaugurated the "Museo Artistico Industriale di CeramicaManuel Cargaleiro", which in 2015 was installed in Ravello as "Fondazione MuseoManuel Cargaleiro". The following year, the "Museu Cargaleiro" is inaugurated, resulting from the partnership between the FundaçãoManuel Cargaleiro and Castelo Branco Town Hall, which in 2011 was expanded to house and exhibit the entire Foundation CollectionManuel Cargaleiro. In 2007, on the occasion of the 80 years ofManuel Cargaleiro and 60 years of his artistic activity, a tribute is paid to the Master Manuel Cargaleiro with the inauguration of the exhibition "Manuel Cargaleiro, Seven Proposals for Architecture”, at the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, in Lisbon.
Gallery of Santiago
Galeria de Santiago opened its doors in Almada at the end of the 1980s, with the aim of decentralizing art and increasing the cultural offer in the county. Along its route, it has individual and collective exhibitions by artists such asManuel Cargaleiro, Vieira da Silva, Arpad Szenes, Augusto Barros, Justino Alves, Rico Sequeira, Guilherme Parente, Paulo Ossião and Maria Jose Camões.
Arts Workshop Manuel Cargaleiro
The Arts WorkshopManuel Cargaleiro joins the work of the master and the architect Siza Vieira, but also wants to motivate the creation of new artists. the works ofManuel Cargaleiro aims to bring the memory of the azulejo to new generations. Through workshops for children, temporary exhibitions or experimental teaching, one of the objectives is to create “a line of affirmation of the Portuguese tile tradition”.In an interview with the PublicManuel Cargaleiro stated: “This is municipal, it is an arts center. It was meant to be a center of the foundation, but it was thought better to keep this status. It is the council that manages it, and I am connected to Seixal by family relationship. I really like this land, and Almada. But I'm also happy to be in Castelo Branco. And I’ll tell you more: today it really is the place in Portugal where I most like to have my museum and my foundation.”
