Galeria Millennium bcp, located within Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea (MNAC), presents the exhibition “On Gestures and Forms. A Dialogue Between Collections”, bringing together works from the collections of Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (MNAA), MNAC, and the Millennium bcp Collection. The project creates a space for dialogue between different periods and artistic languages, organized around four thematic sections: Flesh, Time, Ingenuity, and Material/Immaterial, proposing a non-linear reading of art history, rooted in the shared origins of the former Museu Nacional de Belas-Artes.
The collection was divided in 1911, giving rise to two museums dedicated to different periods, languages, and frameworks within the history of art. This exhibition seeks to celebrate that shared history. Through a selection jointly made by the teams of both museums, it brings together works from different centuries, where gestures, materials, and ways of thinking about artistic creation intersect across time. The exhibition is structured around thematic sections that highlight how artists have explored and transformed media, pigments, textiles, metals, wood, and stone to give form to their ideas, respond to specific historical contexts, and position themselves between tradition and rupture.
Four previously unpublished poems by Filipa Leal, created specifically for this context, accompany the exhibition and introduce an additional layer of interpretation to each section. Her words are complemented by music by Clotilde Rosa—her final composition—originally created for a video work by the artist duo Musa paradisiaca. An olfactory creation by perfumer Lourenço Lucena opens the exhibition to a sensory dimension beyond sight. Together, these contributions offer new ways of seeing, reading, feeling, and interpreting the works, expanding the exhibition experience.
Full list of artists
Cristóvão de Figueiredo; Giuseppe Porta (il Salviati); Orazio/Artemisia Gentileschi (attrib.); Jacob Adriaensz Backer; Auguste Rodin; Simões de Almeida Jr.; Victor Bastos; Francisco dos Santos; Francisco Metrass; Cândido Portinari; Almada Negreiros; António Pedro; Jorge Vieira; Patrícia Garrido; Alice Jorge; Manuel Botelho; Canto da Maia; Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro; Catarina Lopes Vicente; António José Pereira; Eduardo Viana; António Carneiro; Jorge Pinheiro; René Bertholo; Albuquerque Mendes; Joaquim Rodrigo; Maria Menez; José Escada; Maria Manuela Madureira; Rosa Ramalho; Pedro Tudela; Fernando Fernandes; Luís Noronha da Costa; Fernando Lemos; João Hogan; Bruno Cidra; Vieira da Silva; João Jacinto; António Dacosta; Júlio Pomar; António Ferreira.
ABOUT FUNDAÇÃO MILLENNIUM BCP
Fundação Millennium bcp’s mission is to contribute to the development of society by promoting cultural and social values and maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability principles. To this end, the Foundation supports initiatives that strengthen the cultural and social identity of communities, broaden access to knowledge, and foster inclusion and social cohesion.
In the field of Culture, the Foundation is dedicated to the appreciation of historical and artistic heritage, supporting its restoration, conservation, and dissemination to ensure that this legacy is preserved for present and future generations. It also supports projects that enrich cultural life, encouraging creativity, innovation, and diversity within the national artistic landscape.
In the area of Social Solidarity, Fundação Millennium bcp invests in strengthening the capacity of institutions serving vulnerable communities, promoting their autonomy and sustainable development. At the same time, it recognizes the importance of knowledge and scientific research as drivers of progress and innovation, supporting initiatives that encourage the production and dissemination of knowledge across different fields.
Through these actions, Fundação Millennium bcp reaffirms its commitment to a sustainable and inclusive model of development, contributing to a more balanced, culturally vibrant, and socially responsible society.
