CARNATIONS AND VELVET

Art and Revolution in Portugal and Czechoslovakia 1968 – 1974 – 1989

On July 19th, at 6pm, the exhibition “CARNATIONS AND VELVET Art and Revolution in Portugal and Czechoslovakia 
1968 – 1974 – 1989” opens at the National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC), in the Wilmotte Wing and at the 
Millennium bcp Gallery. which will be open from July 20th to October 27th, 2024.

Curated by Adelaide Ginga (Museu de Arte Contemporânea Armando Martins - MACAM, Lisbon) and Sandra Baborovská 
(Galeria Municipal de Praga, GHMP, Prague) and with the patronage support of Fundação Millennium bcp and 
the partnership of RTP 2 and Público, as Media Partners, and Tinta da China (publisher), 
the exhibition showcases Portuguese and Czechoslovak art with works from the 1960s to 1990s 
(in addition to a nucleus with works of art from the 21st century, by Portuguese and Czech artists of 
different generations post-revolution, on the topic in question), also including a documentary chronology on
 the decades from 1960 to 1990, with a special focus on the periods of the Prague Spring, Marcelist Spring, 
Carnation Revolution and Velvet Revolution.

This exhibition, due to the diversity of works and approaches to the theme, occupies almost the entire space 
of the MNAC, in the Wilmotte building, starting on Floor 1, passing through the Sala dos Fornos, and Floor 3 
and ending at Galeria Millennium bcp, a space where a bridge is made between history and the artistic present,
 with works from the Millennium bcp collection and by young authors.  

The exhibition will be documented through a bilingual publication PT-EN, with unpublished essays by the 
curators, in an MNAC| Millennium bcp Foundation | Chinese ink, which will soon be launched.

SYNOPSIS:

Despite sporadic historical relations and a great mutual lack of knowledge of the artistic scene of each 
country, Portugal and Czechoslovakia present numerous correspondences in the chronological historical period 
that falls between three key dates: 1968-1974-1989. It was this conclusion that the curators reached in 2014, 
year zero of this project. In-depth research between them over five years resulted in the first exhibition 
with this theme and title, in 2019, at the Municipal Gallery of Prague, celebrating the 30th anniversary of 
the Velvet Revolution, and is now reorganized, at MNAC, on the 50th anniversary of the Revolution of Carnations.

As a common starting point is the year 1968. The Prague Spring and the Marcelist Spring mark the first 
moments of hope in a political reform of the existing authoritarian regimes in Czechoslovakia and Portugal, 
which ended in failure, with particular coercion in Prague. The years 1974 and 1989 mark, respectively, the 
dates of the revolutions that allowed, peacefully, to achieve freedom in both countries: the Carnation Revolution, 
which took place on April 25, 1974, in Portugal, and the Velvet Revolution , on November 17, 1989, in Czechoslovakia.
The exhibition project includes a comparative chronology of historical facts from the two countries, 
from 1960 to the 1990s, extensively illustrated with photographs, newspaper articles, posters, books and 
other materials. It also evokes the episode of 50 thousand roses, in which a delegation of young Portuguese 
decided to travel to Prague, in December 1989, to deliver 50,000 roses to supporters of freedom and revolution in Czechoslovakia.

The complementary educational program, to be announced shortly, also includes guided visits with guests 
historically or professionally related to the theme and round tables to discuss various themes covered in 
this project.
About the Millennium bcp Foundation

Fundação Millennium bcp asserts itself as an agent of value creation in society, in the various areas of its 
intervention, making a clear commitment to supporting the development of the communities in which it operates. In this sense, it seeks to support several initiatives that align with the values ​​of Millennium bcp and simultaneously satisfy some of the main needs identified in these three areas of activity – Culture, Science and Knowledge and Social Solidarity – in Portugal and in other countries where Millennium bcp develops its activity.
Artists featured in the exhibition:
Adéla Babanová
Adriena Šimotová
Alberto Carneiro
Alfredo Cunha
Álvaro Lapa
Ana de Almeida
Ana Hatherly
Ana Vieira
António Aragão
António Barahona da Fonseca
António Barros
Artur Cruzeiro Seixas
Artur Rosa
Carla Filipe
E. M. de Melo e Castro
Eduardo Calvet de Magalhães
Ernesto de Sousa
Eva Kmentová
Fernando Aguiar
Fernando Calhau
Helena Almeida
Herberto Hélder
Hugo Demartini
Jan Mlčoch
Jiří Kovanda
João Vieira
Jorge Silva Horta
José Alberto Marques
Júlio Pomar
Július Koller
Karel Cudlín
Karel Miler
Leonel Moura
Lourdes Castro
Ľubomír Ďurček
Manuel Alvess
Maria Helena Vieira da Silva
Milan Adamčiak
Milan Knížák
Paula Rego
Pavel Štecha
Pedro Xisto
Petr Štembera
Pires Vieira
Salette Tavares
Sara & André
Silvestre Pestana
Vitor Pomar
Vladimír Ambroz
Zbyněk Baladrán
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Guided visit - 24.10 (Thursday) - 6.30 pm
(free entry)