One of the most eagerly awaited “comebacks” on the art scene in recent years is about to reopen: the CAM – Centro de Arte Moderna opens its doors again on September 21, and with a big party with several exhibitions, live performances, music, talks, workshops and other activities for the whole family.
And we’re all invited to the grand reopening for free, not only on the weekend of September 21 and 22, but also until October 7.
After this date, there will always be free areas, such as the H BOX Space, the Project Space, the Sound Room and the Studio.
As for the exhibition rooms, both the CAM Collection and the temporary exhibitions, they will have a set price, which you can check at the end of this article.
CAM, the artist as center, designed to be experienced
The Modern Art Centre opens after an extensive renovation under the direction of architect Kengo Kuma, in harmony with the also renovated garden designed by landscape artist Vladimir Djurovic.
Open since 1983, we remember that the José de Azeredo Perdigão Modern Art Center (official name)had been closed since 2020, so it’s been almost five years until one of the most anticipated days for national artistic culture, which now features an additional 900m2 of spaces for new artistic experiences, thematic and participatory, with emerging artists being part of the entire annual cultural program.
One of the most visible and incredible aspects of the renovated space is Engawa, a 100-meter-long canopy, clad in 3,274 ceramic tiles (produced in Portugal) in three shades of white, and supported by wooden and iron slats.
This installation is inspired by Japanese architecture, proving to be a link between the interior and exterior of the building. If we can hardly compare it to our architecture, we would say that it is a kind of porch, which connects the house to its exterior.
The renovated CAM in numbers and curiosities
- There is 900m2 more exhibition space in the renovated CAM, which now has four more rooms, a total of 3,779m2 to occupy with art on the various floors of the building;
- The CAM Collection has about 12,000 works of art, including paintings, drawings, prints, installations, photographs and videos/films;
- Most of the vegetation in the new garden already existed; what was planted again was with native national species;
- The roof of the Engawa Space is 100 meters long and is covered with 3,274 ceramic tiles in three shades of white;
- The rainwater is reused, being redirected to the large lake in the Gulbenkian gardens;
- The signage throughout the space was designed by award-winning designer Kanya Hara;
- Until October 7, admission to CAM is free
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CAM exhibition calendar
Leonor Antunes will be the featured artist at the reopening of CAM, with the presentation of a large sculpture exhibition that will occupy the entire space of the Nave until February 17, 2025.
- Leonor Antunes | “da desigualdade constante dos dias de leonor” (Exhibition): from September 21, 2024 to February 17, 2025
- Linha de Maré (CAM Collection): from September 21, 2024 to May 11, 2026
- The Western Calligrapher | Fernando Lemos and Japan Curatorship (Exhibition): from September 21 to November 4 2024
- Go Watanabe | M5A5 (Exhibition): from September 21 to January 13, 2025
- Yasuhiro Morinaga | The Voice of Inconstant Savage Curator (Exhibition): from September 21 to January 13, 2025
- Chikako Yamashiro | Song of the Land (Exhibition): from November 29 to January 13, 2025
- H BOX (Video): permanent
An important venue for contemporary art in Portugal, this space will continue to showcase one of the largest collections of modern and contemporary art in the country, with more than 12,000 works of art in the CAM Collection alone, and an annual cultural program that aims to connect with several other national and international art institutions.
Address: Rua Marquês de Fronteira 2
Hours: Sunday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays, and on January 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, December 24 and 25); The CAM Table Restaurant: from Sunday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. (closed Tuesdays); CAM Shop: from Sunday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (closed Tuesdays).
Tickets:
- CAM Temporary Exhibitions: 8 to 10 € (depends on the number of exhibitions)
- CAM Collection and Temporary Exhibitions: 12€
- 50% discount for under 30s
- 15% discount for over 65s
- Gulbenkian Card: free
- Collections Booklet: CAM Collection and Gulbenkian Museum Collection: €14
- All-inclusive ticket: Gulbenkian Museum, CAM and Temporary Exhibitions: 16€
- Free entry on Sundays from 2pm
- Free entry for Gulbenkian Mais Card
- Free admission until October 7th