Lately, works of art have regularly appeared in the news due to vandalism. But what makes a person want to vandalize a beloved work of art? Factors often vary greatly. Politics often play a role, as has been the case with the many recent protests led in museums by climate activists around the world. Often, personal interests can also become paramount, as with a variety of young provocateurs who target the artworks of others, sometimes even as part of their own artistic practices. In each case, however, the basic motive remains the same: to create confusion by disturbing the appearance...

the portuguese artist Noronha da Costa (1942-2020) stood out in the artistic panorama for his constant study of image and perception. From the late 1960s onwards, he devoted himself fully to painting, exploring collages and the "screen effect" using mirrors and frosted glass. In the 1960s, he created his emblematic technique with the spray gun, which offered the spectator a new pictorial perception. Learn more about this artist here.

Lisbon is now recognized as a reference city in the international Urban Art circuits.In response to the great growth of this creative area, the Urban Art Gallery of the Cultural Heritage Department of the Lisbon City Council was created.Discover more about andthis body in this interview.

Ai Weiwei (Beijing, 1957) is an artist, thinker and activist whose artistic practice addresses pressing issues of our time. Due to his actions, he became one of the most outstanding cultural figures of his generation and a symbol of freedom of expression, both in China and internationally. Find out more about Ai Weiwei in this article.